How to Belong
by MissWillow
Summary: On a dark and stormy night, a baby was adopted by Esme and Carlisle Cullen. Now, sixteen years later, Hale Cullen starts to feel left out. In a story about discovering oneself, Hale will go through different trials and errors to find where he truly belongs
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Hale wanted to drop off the house's beautiful third store balcony so that he might have a way to focus all his pain on something physical, like his broken legs, rather than something mental.

Because his heart sure was killing him.

From where he sat on the porch situated to face the browning grass of the backyard, Hale watched as his family laughed, joked around, and played chase. Three beautiful couples enjoying one of the last pleasing, sunny days before winter hit. Leaves in an assemble of oranges, yellows, greens, and browns twisted around their heads and near their feet, stirred into small twirls of dancing colors as his family ran by, or floated upwards and away as the angelic looking beings fell into the piles they had hurriedly put together.

The one person who would have been sitting alone with Hale, who would have made the silence that much more bearable, and his solitude that much more tolerable would have been Edward. Hale felt his absent presence as comparable to a lost arm. Something that was familiar, real, and loved, and very much needed. He ached. Hale turned his eyes to the cause of his heartache some yards away, laying upon the leaves and speaking to Bella, his girlfriend, in hushed whispers that the family could probably hear, but pretended not to.

Not for the first time, Hale wished that he had vampiric hearing as well. The desire to jump off the third story balcony and channel the pain emanating from his chest into somewhere else became much more pressing. Maybe he didn't want to hear what they were saying after all.

Although Hale was lucky in that neither Jasper's, Edward's, or Alice's special talents worked on him.

Hale swallowed hard and turned his burning eyes back to his laughing family, feeling like an outsider as he watched. Ignoring the strange burning in his chest, he instead focused his eyes to what his family was doing. Beautiful Rosalie was more exquisite than any painting, Hale thought. With her blond curls falling elegantly down her back, and her beautiful, brown cashmere sweater complimenting her complexion and her yellow, brown eyes. The added fall colors made it that much more breathtaking.

Strong, brutish Emmett was laughing and blowing leaves at her, while she scowled and crossed her arms. Hale knew she wasn't seriously disgruntled, as a small smile curled the tops of her lips. Emmett knew it too, because he let out another large guffaw and lifted her up and spun her around. Rosalie laughed, and it seemed like two figures in a perfect snow globe.

Hale turned his eyes to his small, pixie like sister, Alice, who was three inches shorter than himself, as she spun around before falling backwards into the pile of leaves she had just finished organizing together. She yanked down stern looking Jasper, who could have, with his unparalleled vampiric strength, stayed standing up. But he allowed her to pull him down on top of her before smacking him with a large kiss. His face mellowed out before they laid there, perfectly still, as only the most elegant and breathtaking statues on earth could do.

His mother Esme, with his father, Carlisle, were walking about the yard, stopping and laughing, with Esme's hand through his arm. Hale would have joined them, but after years of being told to be careful, of being included very little into the family activities because of his frail nature, his sisters and brothers had just decided it would be easier not to try anything with him, because the chances of him being hit too hard or falling and spilling blood was too high. Hale figured he just wasn't worth the effort.

He would have been joined by his fellow brother, but he was with Bella, and everyone was complete except for him. He looked back down to his book, before looking back up at the loud laugh Bella let loose. His eyes, rather than watching Bella, instead focused on Edward's beautiful face, only to see the look of pure wonder and delight that lit his eyes to watch her laugh. Hale bit his lip before shutting the book, gathering the blanket he had been using for warmth, and padded into the house.

On his way in, Hale wondered what it was that Bella had that he didn't. Hale knew he wasn't the best looking bloke in the world. His black hair was virtually a bird's nest. Brushing it did no good, and these days Hale just let it do what it wanted. His face was very narrow and almost feminine. The only claim to beauty he possessed were his green eyes, which were often commented upon as being a most fantastical color that no one had ever seen before.

Hale looked back over to Bella and quickly compared himself to her. Her brown, chocolate hair was laid out and around her head like a halo, and her blush high on her cheeks made her brown eyes sparkle. And she was a girl. Hale abruptly spun back and made his way inside.

It was enough torture for one day. No sense in sitting outside like some spectator, wishing for something that would never happen. Hale really hated being in love with his brother.

After finishing a documentary on Tchaikovsky later that night, Hale went downstairs again to grab a sandwich and some chips for an early dinner. As a vegetarian, Esme had been making dishes and meals more to Bella's palette than the one Hale had been used to. Before leaving his room, he took a large breathe of air before releasing the mouthful along with the remaining tension evident in the set of his shoulders and back.

He opened his door and was greeted by the sounds of the downstairs TV and Alice's tinkling laughter. Emmett boomed a choice swearword followed by a short, clipped snap, and Alice's tinkling laughter again. The piano was softly being played in the background followed by an abrupt stop, which gave way to another player, whose beats and tempos were all wrong, and whose fingers just couldn't seem to grasp the right notes like the first player. Hale wondered when he had started feeling as though he was unwanted and the stranger in the family, before descending down the two flights of stairs to the living room and kitchen.

On the way down he admired the house again, running his hand down the smooth, cherry wood railing, which contrasted sharply with the bright white walls and soft, padded carpet. The stairs were wide, with the same cherry wood on the bottom half that laid vertical to the stair. It presented an elegant, but comfortable, environment. As he got to the second staircase he looked down on the living room. At his quiet shuffling, his family looked up quickly from their positions arranged throughout the living room, acknowledged him, and looked back to the TV. The piano never stopped playing. Hale swallowed and breathed.

"Hale! Where have you been all day, sweetheart? I was just wondering when you would be down," Esme exclaimed. "Are you hungry, I just put out some spaghetti for Bella."

Hale shook his head. "I'll just grab a sandwich if that's okay? I have some more homework to finish."

Esme looked a bit down for a moment before quickly brightening and turning around to ask Bella if she would like to eat now.

Hale quietly maneuvered his way through the living room and into the kitchen, before opening the fridge and retrieving the needed cheese, butter, and turkey. He set his items upon the marble counter before reaching into the cupboard and retrieving the bread. He set to work on quickly making his sandwich. Once done, he grabbed a pack of Dorittos from the cupboard and made his way upstairs.

"Oh, Hale." Carlisle intoned from his position at the dining room table, a newspaper set aside before him. Hale turned around and looked down at his father. "When was that soccer game? This week, yes?" Hale's mouth dried up as the familiar pain in his chest socked him in the stomach. This wasn't supposed to bother him anymore.

"Er, I was done with soccer a month ago. Championships were October twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh." The room became very quiet as fourteen pairs of vampiric eyes and two brown, dull eyes looked up at him at his position on the stairs. Carlisle looked like he didn't know what to say and Esme, who had been running back and forth from Bella to the kitchen, had stopped in place with the steaming plate of spaghetti. Hale kept his eyes on the ground.

"Oh. Son, why didn't you tell us it was that weekend?" Carlisle asked quietly.

Hale turned down his eyes. "I did, dad. But everyone was pretty busy with stuff." Hale stopped before thinking that he would love to tell them they forgot because Bella wanted to go to Seattle and they all decided it would be good to go. Without him. He quickly began speaking again, however, the words tripping out of his mouth. "It's no big deal, we lost anyways. The rival team was way better. Would have been embarrassing for you." He quickly turned away before yelling 'night!"

Entering his room and slamming the door closed behind him, Hale quickly evened his breathing before realizing he had squished his sandwich with his hand. He was over it, right? It was happening a lot lately, with him being the last thing remembered, but it would all even out. He heaved a great sigh before returning to his desk and beginning his homework. A half hour later a quiet knock startled him from his math homework. Hale quickly looked up and at the door before uttering a quiet 'come in'. He knew that they would hear him.

His white door opened to reveal his father, closely followed by his mother, who quietly shut the door behind her. Hale set his pen aside and allowed them his full attention.

His father and mother both moved over to his bed before sitting upon his dark green comforter and sheets. Such movements weren't needed, but they were so used to interacting with humans that the movements they used in society to appear normal had worked their way into their inside lives.

"We are so sorry, Hale." His father suddenly began. Hale looked to his face and knew without a doubt that he was serious. His eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes rather anguished. Esme looked the same, except she kept wringing her hands, which Hale knew by now was a totally unconscious reaction to stressful situations.

"If we had known, we would have made time. You know that, right, son? Things have just been so hectic with Bella lately. Your brother has finally found someone, after a hundred years of being alone. I guess we are just so overjoyed that we are working very hard to include her in everything. By doing that, however, it appears we have unintentionally left you out. I am sorry, Hale. I hope you can forgive us. Even vampires are not perfect." Carlisle attempted to crack a smile, but it came out small and weakened by distress. Esme sniffed sharply and bit her lip before reaching out one of her small hands for Hale's own.

Hale felt bad. Of course he forgave them. He quickly gave her his hand and gave them both a small smile back.

Carlisle cleared his throat and took Hale's other hand before quietly asking, "When were your conferences going to be?" He drifted off, however, at Hales dropping smile again. "Did we miss those, too?"

Hale nodded and shrugged halfheartedly, feeling both parents grasp his hands a little tighter.

"Oh, Hale! We are terribly sorry!" Esme quickly wrapped him in a hug.

"Honestly, it's fine."

"No it's not! You're our baby! We should be remembering these things!"Esme gasped out before continuing, "How about this! Next Saturday Alice said it's supposed to rain. You come with and play baseball with us! Bella will be coming too so you can finally get to know her a little bit better, too. I just know you will like her, and you haven't really had a chance to truly get to know each other. She's truly wonderful! How about that? Doesn't that sound like fun?"

Hale felt as though he had to freeze his smile in place to say anything back to that. Sure, he thought, I would love to sit around with the same girl that has been stealing my heart and family. Feeling as though the words he would attempt to speak would end up being stuck in his throat, Hale just nodded.

Esme clapped excitedly before jumping up, hugging him tightly again, pecking a kiss on his cheek, and running from the room. Hale glanced at his father, only to see a somewhat vague smile stretching his lips, and warmth in his eyes as he faced towards the door his mother had just ran out from.

Carlisle turned his head back and looked at Hale. "Your mother, God bless her, is wonderful, but not very perceptive." He lifted Hale's chin and asked in a gentle voice, "What's the problem, son?"

Hale felt his eyes blur before being wrapped in two strong, cold arms and pulled to an equally short chest. He hated the fact that his father could use his gentle voice and make him cry. "Oh, Hale. What is it?"

How do you explain to your father that you're gay, in love with your brother, while also being the one and only odd one out in the family? How do you tell your father that you just feel as though you don't belong? Hale just shook his head before whispering out in a chocked voice, "Just a bad week."

Carlisle nodded. "We all have those. The thing to remember is that it all gets better. Tomorrow will be another new day. And this weekend will be very enjoyable." He unclasped his arms before looking down into Hale's face. "Never forget that I love you." Hale nodded slowly. Of course not.

"Good. I'll see you in the morning. And remember. You can always come and talk to me."

"I know, dad. Thanks. Night."

"Night, son."

As predicted by Alice, that Saturday was indeed stormy and gray, with the dedicated promise of thunder and lightning, which Hale could see from the top of his third story balcony, looking out into the vegetation of the local forest. The trees looked scraggly and weak without their leaves for protection, and the forest floor seemed dull and gray. Hale was surprised the rain wasn't turning into snow, but according to the weatherman, it just wasn't cold enough outside. They would be taking Emmet's jeep to the clearing where the family always played baseball.

For the most part, Hale could actually feel a little glimmer of excitement trying to push his shattered feelings away. He allowed the joy to fill him, as this would be the first time he had ever gone to one of the Cullen's baseball games.

Hale was actually rather surprised that Esme had suggested it, as she was always the one anxiously wondering about 'whether a baseball would hit Hale and go right through his little human body? Or what if Rosalie or Emmet accidentally ran by too fast and blew him away, or, God forbid, hit him with their bodies? Or what if Jasper smelled some blood that Hale had spilled tripping or falling on the uneven forest clearing? Or…' The list went on and on, and quite frankly, Hale was beginning to feel a little like a fragile prisoner locked up in a brick tower, waiting for his savior to come.

"Everyone ready!" Alice called up the stairs, mostly for Bella and his own ears. Hale felt a bit disgruntled again, knowing she was also coming, but quickly pushed it away before grabbing his baseball cap and sweatshirt. Hopefully his mom wouldn't make him bring along a coat; it wasn't that cold.

Hale trudged down the stairs, looking out for his mom. He found her outside in front of the jeep, worrying over Bella's decision to not wear a coat, and asking if maybe they shouldn't just put an extra in the car for her. Bella, for the most part, seemed embarrassed with her blushing cheeks. Edward had on his crooked grin that Hale had always loved as he grasped her hand gently. Hale swallowed thickly before making his way over to the jeep and waiting. Jasper quietly sidled up next to him. Hale didn't bother looking up and at him. There wasn't anything to say. He and Jasper hadn't had a real conversation since he had been thirteen years old, and, for the most part, Jasper never really spoke to Hale.

Now Hale was sixteen. It was therefore odd that he was now standing next to him. They stood in awkward silence till the rest of the family came over. Edward pulled Bella up onto his back and quickly carried her away, moving at an alarming speed. Hale clenched his fists as he watched them go, and quickly turned to watch the rest of his family as they all walked over and pulled themselves into the jeep. Hale abruptly realized that there wasn't enough space for him, too.

He swallowed again, before being suddenly grasped by two strong hands around the waist and being deposited onto Carlisle's lap. Esme patted his thigh softly, and they were off. Emmett drove with Rosalie sitting in the passenger seat in the front. Alice sat upon Jasper's lap, with Esme in the middle and Carlisle on the side with Hale in his lap. The trip was very bumpy but fun. Emmett let out his booming laughter as they went over large hills and over small streams and the jeep swayed back and forth. Carlisle held Harry close to his chest, with his head resting below his chin. Normally this would have annoyed Hale, but it was nice being noticed again, and the action worked to help soothe some of his hurt feelings. Hale let a small smile escape.

They reached the clearing, and everyone jumped out, with Carlisle setting Hale down gently before following. Esme grabbed Hale's hand and led him over to the very beginning of the clearing where he could sit down. Bella was already there, and as Edward saw them approaching, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before running over and finding bases. Hale looked away from the scene and over to Alice to see she had the bats and Jasper the baseballs. They set the extras by Bella, where Hale sat himself down as well.

From there, everyone rushed around and, in a couple seconds, just as the first sound of thunder boomed across the skies, they began playing. To Hale, it was like nothing he had ever seen before. He always forgot how fast his vampire family actually was, but watching them hit the ball so hard it thundered, and seeing Edward run and manage to catch a baseball a mile away. Hale was filled with awe. He admired the full grin Edward had upon his face, and the way he and Jasper fake fought. Edward looked over and smiled. For a minute, Hale thought it was for him, before he heard Bella quietly giggle and wave a little wave back at Edward. Hale's heart dropped in his throat and landed somewhere in is stomach like a rock. It was probably what made breathing so difficult.

It was a half hour into the game when Alice suddenly stopped running and stood stock still. In a blink of an eye, Jasper was by her side, holding her waist and looking into her eyes. Everyone watched with bated breath as Alice snapped out of her vision in a panic, her eyes and head moving around for Carlisle before exclaiming, "We're having visitors. I didn't see them before! I'm sorry. I wasn't focusing on anything but the game! I…"

"It's alright, Alice," Carlisle soothed, "just let us know how many minutes we have left?"

"Two, maybe three."Alice's upset voice informed him.

"Alright, we'll hide Bella. Everyone huddle together and put her in the middle. It should help throw off their scent. We're lucky in that there's no wind today."

Shortly after Carlisle spoke, Edward was in front of Hale and grabbing Bella, before turning around and sprinting back to the coven without him. Hale had never felt so dumb or forgotten in his whole life.

"Dad…" he breathed. Carlisle and the rest of the coven all snapped their heads around, as though they had forgotten all about him. Hale crossed his arms, bit his lip and hunched over. In the next instant, just like with Bella, Carlisle had grabbed Hale and sprinted him over to the group.

"Alright, Hale?" he questioned. Hale didn't say anything back.

To Hales right, Edward gave a major twitch and his nostrils flared before glaring at Hale. Hale flinched, and looked down again, wondering what he had done.

"Knock it off, Edward." Jasper whispered.

Edward let loose a small growl before saying back just as quietly, his growl evident in his undertone, "He's going to give us away!"

"That's enough, Edward." Carlisle ended the matter with a gruff voice that Hale had never heard. Hale felt Edward look at him once more before turning back around and facing the opening in the trees that Alice had indicated the three visitors would come out through.

Hale wanted to die.

"They're here!" Alice bit out sharply, voice anxious. All the coven vampires froze. Hale could feel his heart pumping out of his chest, and his eyes and throat hurt as though they were on fire. Why couldn't Edward say it was partly Bella's fault? Why was all the blame solely his? When had he become the last one wanted, needed? Had it always been like this and he was finally old enough now to start noticing it?

The worst part about it all, though, was that it was Edward who had said it. The same vampire that had always been with Hale. Who might not have always talked to him, but who had at least kept him company from time to time. The one Hale most identified with, who Hale loved. Carlisle's strong, cold hands pressed down and squeezed Hale's shoulders before letting go just as three beautiful beings glided out of the forest and across the clearing to them.

There was, thankfully, no wind in the clearing, which was protected by the many trees of the forest, so the three vampires wouldn't be able to pick up on their scents. Hale hardly noticed, however. His mind was twisting and turning on an ocean of turbulence like a ship in a hurricane. Carlisle's voice brought him back, but he dared not raise his head, if only so he wouldn't have to see Edward's ferocious glare turn to him again.

"Greetings, my name is Carlisle Cullen, and this is my family. May I ask your names and where you have come from?"

The moment was tense until one of the two male vampires stepped forward. He had black hair, cut closely to his head, and olive toned skin without a blemish. He looked to be about six feet tall. His eyes were red,

"Hello, my name is Laurent. We are just passing through. My acquaintances are Victoria" here he nodded to the red headed female vampire, "and my other friend is James."His voice was hypnotic and low. He nodded towards the other male. Both looked to be very young, with red eyes. James had light brown hair that was cropped close to his face and fell in layers around his head. All were breathtakingly beautiful.

Laurent added, "We did not know this territory was already claimed. I must say, we are all very curious as to how you remain undetected by the smaller population in this part." For the most part, it should have been evident that none of the Cullens had red eyes, and were, therefore, not drinkers of human blood.

However, Carlisle, with his infinite patience, answered him, "We do not drink the blood of the people in the area. We are, what we call, vegetarians, and only feed off the local animal population that surrounds the area. It is easy to feed, as we can travel far without meeting many people. It is our own joke."Here Carlisle attempted to give a small smile and chuckle, and both groups relaxed.

Laurent gave a deep laugh. "Interesting, I would be curious to know how that has-" His sentence was cut off, however, as a strong gust of wind, coming from nowhere, or by the fates, drove by the group, whipping Bella's hair. Jame's and Victoria's noses both flared before James let loose an inhuman smile, showing off his too pearly white teeth and red eyes.

"You've brought a snack? And a most beautiful snack it is. I thought you said you weren't drinkers of the human blood?"

Edward let loose a growl, as Carlisle quickly inserted, "The girl is a part of our coven. She will not be harmed."The tension was back and thicker before. Hale associated it to be like swimming through oil. 

"Of course not," Laurent soothed, trying to release the sudden tension, his voice becoming a deep and soothing sound and hands held up, "we're just passing through and don't want trouble. Right, James?"Here Laurent looked back, his eyes narrowed slightly and lips a thin line.

"Yes, just passing through." James agreed before snapping his eyes away from Bellas, still smiling. "I think we have out stayed our welcome." He began to walk backwards away from the coven, Victoria copying his motions, before they broke into sprints too fast for the human eye to detect and were suddenly gone. Laurent held up his arms and slowly followed the group.

"I am sorry this did not turn out the way I had hoped. We understand that this is your land and will not hunt upon it while passing through."

Carlisle nodded, and the seven vampires watched as Laurent also broke into a sprint and was gone. Suddenly, a flurry of activity began. Edward let loose a growl, picked up Bella, and was sprinting with her towards the jeep. Mayhem broke out, with Edward yelling and growling in his inhuman voice, Bella's confused and slightly frightened questions, Carlisle's calm soothing voice, and Esme's wringing hands.

"Enough, Edward!" Carlisle broke out, "What do you see Alice?"

"She doesn't need to see anything! I can already tell you that he's a tracker, and he will always be after her! He'll never give up. The fact that there are seven vampires protecting her is only the tip of the challenge! This is a game to him!"

"Alright… alright, Edward. Let's just calm down for a moment. We will head back to the house and think of a plan there. We aren't doing anything rashly. This needs a plan."

In seconds, all seven vampires were at the jeep and driving off.

Hale wondered when they would remember that they had left him.


	2. Chapter 2

Hale knew vampires weren't perfect. He stared in the face of that evidence every day. It was apparent in Jasper's poor control, in Rosalie's bitter and stuck up personality, and in Edward's switching tempers and gloomy disposition. However, Hale never thought any of them would have imperfect memories, which they would then lose to forget they had another son and brother named Hale Cullen that they had adopted sixteen years ago.

He swallowed down the hurt resting in his throat and curled into himself a little. He didn't know how to feel about being abandoned like that. He knew it was a stressful situation, but that reason didn't soothe the hurt feelings rising in his chest. He… hurt. He felt heartbroken. But most of all, he felt unwanted, as though he just didn't belong. Hale hated that feeling.

He sighed heavily, stopped, and wiped his forehead with his sleeve, and in the process, wiped away a couple tears. He was starting to sweat. The trail was tedious, and the cold air, which would normally have made Hale comfortable, did nothing to cool him down now. He wasn't afraid to walk back alone, he knew the way, made apparent by the jeeps heavy and large tar tracks. He was worried, however, that he wouldn't make it before dark. His house was about two hours away, give or take eight miles, and while he was in relatively good shape from soccer, he didn't know how to find his way in the dark, and the sun, always much closer to the horizon these days now that the days were shorter, was threatening to settle down for the night.

Hale continued, silently praying that someone would remember him shortly. He wondered bitterly who would, if they remembered him, get stuck with the task to bring their annoying little brother home. Hale knew that his brothers and sisters probably liked him in their own little ways, but he never thought that they loved him. Well, maybe at one point, when he was still very little and naïve like that. Hale sighed again, and swatted away a dead hanging branch before picking his way gingerly along the path.

It curved this way and that in a most peculiar fashion, but since he was following the tracks made from the jeep that would have had to have taken a more turbulent route to make it around the trees, he wasn't too concerned or surprised. For the most part, Hale allowed the past events to fade from his mind, as much as they hurt him, and instead focused on his surroundings. Hale had always liked fall. He liked the crisp air as it settled into your lungs. And now in November, the weather was reaching its peak before if finally began snowing.

Hale thought back; in all the places he had lived in the short span of his sixteen years, Forks was his favorite. The air just seemed much cleaner and fresher than anywhere else. In the summer, rainy as it was, the wildlife still teamed and the forest grew lush and beautiful. The fact that it was quiet and offered Hale the chance to explore without Esme's fear that he would get hurt was the cherry on top of his sundae.

Hale suddenly glanced up as a cold drop of water landed on his nose and was pelted again with another raindrop on his chin. He hunched over, folded his arms close to his body, and proceeded to walk faster as a downpour started swiftly. Maybe he didn't exactly love everything Forks had to offer.

The next hour passed slowly, Hale knew it was an hour by the watch on his wrist that he had won in a contest a few years ago. He cursed himself again that he hadn't brought his cell phone, but had figured since he was to be with his family anyways, there wouldn't be a need. It wasn't like he had any friends to call anyways. He was very cold, very wet, and the rain seemed unrelenting in its quest to drown him. He jumped as a bolt of lightning lit up the sky in a brilliant white, followed by a strong roll of thunder. Hale kept a larger distance from the trees in the off chance that one would be hit by a bolt of lightning.

From the distance, another flash of lightning illuminated the sky, followed again by a grumble of thunder. Hale's heart suddenly started thudding as he came to the abrupt realization that the jeep's tracks had been lost in the rain shower. He stopped, unsure of what to do, before he heard a deep, animalistic growl. Panic froze Hale's movements before his body started shaking. He didn't move as branches and rocks were kicked or broken behind him, a sound which had been muted before was now much louder. Time seemed to slow, so that the rain drops descended at the rate of a feather before Hale saw out of the corner of his eye to see through the gloom of the dusk a large black animal. It's fur was wet and straggly, and it was roughly the size of a horse, but shaped like a wolf.

It bared it's fangs at him and let out another snarl. Hale's wide eyes were pinpointed on the tip of its nose, where its sharp fangs were on show. Hale let out a small cry before trying to run. At that point, Hale had no more over his body as a rock had over where it was placed. He sprinted through the trees, his vision blurry from his watering eyes, the rain, and the dark. Everywhere he looked, the trees looked like other monsters sprouting from the ground, grabbing his clothes with their branch like hands and tripping him on his flight. Hale turned and looked behind him as a deep howl was let loose into the night. And then, in the dark and the rain, Hale tripped over himself and rolled down a deep and muddy incline before hitting his head. Pain blossomed behind his eyes in an eruption of bright colors before he gained his momentum and opened his eyes. He looked up from his position on his back to see the same wolf, hackles raised, right in front of him.

Hale's body shook, both from the cold and the fright, and he silently started crying. He wondered how much it would hurt, how much he would feel before his life was snuffed out before him in the form of razor sharp teeth and powerful jaws. He closed his eyes, shaking and alone in the dark and dank forest with a horse-sized wolf. When after a minute or so of waiting and feeling the rain continue to pour on him, he opened his eyes for a peak, to see that the wolf was now laying beside him, eyes closed, and for all intents and purposes, asleep.

Hale felt confusion rise up and take over his panic. 'What was he supposed to do now? What did the wolf want?. He slowly tried to raise himself up on to his elbows without alerting the sleeping animal. The only reaction he received to his slow movements was a twitched ear that held perfectly still in Hale's direction.

Hale felt his confusion growl as he slowly started to pull himself away from the animal with his elbows. Hale started thinking on escape routes. If he could maybe find and wait in a tree until help would come he could make it out of this. Hale swallowed over the dryness in his mouth and started his journey to a tree. From the distance, a small crash was heard, to which the wolf raised its head and started growling. The next crash was much closer, and sounded as though a tree had been knocked down. The wolf had now stood up and, before Hale could do anything, ran by him, rubbing its body along his own, and took off into the darkness of the forest.

Hale let out a large gasp before falling backwards onto his back again in relief. He brought his hands up to cover his eyes as they started to water, before his human ears detected a voice shouting his name. Hope built in his chest before he tried to yell through his chapped lips and his hoarse throat, "HERE! I'M HERE!"

His voice sounded scratchy, and his body ached and shook, but the relief that flowed through his body was like hot chocolate on a cold, winter night. The next few moments passed very quickly. He suddenly felt very warm. He closed his eyes for what felt like a second, and when he opened them again he was looking up into the worried face of Jasper, his wet hairy hanging in sopping strands and clumps against his head. Distantly, Hale could feel himself shaking. It became worse the next moment as Jasper picked him up, bridal style, and starting running through the woods. The flashing dark figures of trees made Hale sick, so he allowed himself to close his eyes and everything went dark.

The next time Hale opened his eyes, he was groggy, hot, and trapped under multiple layers of blankets. His chest felt heavy and his eyes burned. He let loose a subdued cough and the next moment found himself face to face with the worried expressions of his parents. Hale didn't quite know what to say to them. 'Hey, thanks for leaving me. I was attacked by a giant wolf. Great time.' So he closed his eyes again, and was slightly startled as a cold hand pressed against his forest. It felt wonderful to Hale's overheated skin, and he quietly pleaded that the hand would remain there.

It did, and the next moment Hale heard a quiet voice murmur, "Hale? Hale, sweetheart? Please open those beautiful green eyes for mom." But Hale didn't want to open his eyes. Hale didn't even want to see them. They had left him, left him for two hours in the woods, with rogue wolves, frightened and alone. Hale could feel a lump building in his throat.

"Please, Hale, son. Open your eyes for us. Come on, now." So Hale opened his eyes, very slowly at first, as the light burned his retinas.

"There we are," Carlisle murmured, before continuing to stroke his hand through his hair. "All safe."

Hale took in his bedroom, with its muted browns and greens, and the two anxious faces above him, both sitting on either side of him on his bed. If Hale would have to describe two heartbroken people, full of guilt and anguish for their actions, he would have taken a picture at both Esme's and Carlisle's faces. It was clear to Hale that they were sorry, but that did little to soothe the little sharp piece of glass embedded in his heart and messing up his breathing.

"Oh, sweetheart. We are so sorry. There is no excuse, I know, but it was all very quick, even for us. We had to make a plan. Bella was in danger, you know, and Edward was very frightened for her." Here she stopped, and Hale really believed that Esme, against all the odds and facts stating she couldn't cry, was about to burst into tears. Carlisle didn't fare much better. Agony marred his perfect features. Hale felt a sob gush forth before he was crying. He was quickly swept up into cold arms and held against a strong chest. As he cried, under the tears of insecurity, heartache, and torment, a bitterness the likes of which he had never felt, started to build up.

Hale just wanted to sleep.

When he next woke, it was now dark, and the house was very quiet except for the buzz of the TV downstairs. Hale quickly looked around to see if he was alone before he began to struggle to set himself free from the hoard of blankets. He succeeded in wearing himself out. He caught his breathe and tried again, before breaking himself free. He allowed the slight dizzy spell to pass before sitting up slowly. By degrees, he ended up on his butt, arms bracing him from behind him, before slowly proceeding to stand up and make his way to the bathroom.

Once there, he grabbed the cup near the sink, filled it up four times, and proceeded to chug down every one of those four glasses till there was nothing left. He then relieved his bladder and started the shower. He felt cold and brittle. He curved in on himself as though a strong wind could come by and break him all apart. He felt very lost. As the shower started, he walked back into his room to grab some clean clothes. His lungs still felt sore and he shook a bit, but it was nothing compared to the rest of his emotions.

For the first time since he put aside his feelings while walking back home in the forest, he left himself consider what had happened, and how he truly felt. He could understand the slight slip of one's mind, but since Bella had come into the picture, it was like he just didn't exist. Hale felt bad being so mean about it, but it was very true. He had always been the odd one out. In growing up, that meant that he didn't get along with his brothers and sisters.

In fact, they did their best to avoid him. He didn't know if it was because they just didn't like him, or because they feared losing control around him. He thought it was the former, contrary to the adamants Carlisle tried to use to argue against Hale's line of thinking.

The fact that they always moved around and were a coven of vampires also made finding friends difficult. Now, at age sixteen, he was socially inept and very lonely. He didn't know how to interact with peers his own age. He thought them to be immature, and they thought he was weird. He was picked on it for it. The fact that he was also short and a little bit feminine didn't help him out much at all.

The only people who he had any sort of relationship with were his mom and dad, who he knew loved him, although that love seemed to be waning as they started to forget all about him. Hale loved his family, they were everything he had ever known, but sometimes, he really wished he hadn't been adopted by them. Sure, he got the best of everything, but he was a social outcast in a world where who you knew and how you behaved were more important than good grades and a mature attitude. And he was clearly unwanted in his own home.

Hale sighed again, a touch brokenly, and jumped into the shower, letting the pounding water wring the rest of the aches and pains from his body. He let himself stand there, head under the spray, before washing his hair and body quickly and jumping out. His stomach growled as he was putting on his shirt, and he quickly exited his room after brushing his hair to go find something to eat.

As he walked down the well known steps, he simply focused on his feet. He didn't want to see his family, or look at them. It was embarrassing enough to walk into a room knowingly acknowledging that everyone in that room really didn't care about you a lick. Hale swallowed tightly as he descended the last stair into the living room before briskly entering the kitchen. He looked up only when he walked into his mother, who grabbed him softly by the shoulders and looked at him.

She tried to give him a gentle smile, but Hale couldn't seem to muster up an answering one. She gave him a sad look before running her hand down his cheek and kissing his forehead. She led him over to a stool near the counter and had him sit down. The next few moments Hale let his mother take care of him and get him his food. He was surprised to see that she had actually made knoephla with ham, as Bella was a vegetarian, but didn't complain.

As he set about eating his soup, he looked around the kitchen and living room. The two rooms were connected together in an open floor plan, which gave him a good view as to what was going on. Edward seemed tense, next to an equally stoic Rosalie. Both looked to be having an argument, with Rosalie thinking horrid things, and Edward giving her glares and looks back. Emmett was trying to ignore the strained silence by watching a comedy, but from the subdued and quiet laughs, it wasn't working.

Alice and Jasper were sitting side by side on the other white suede couch. Alice was quiet and introvertive, while Jasper sat by her worriedly. As Hale let his eyes rest on them, Jasper looked up at him and nodded. Hale nodded back, a silent thank you for the rescue in the forest. Carlisle was nowhere to be found, before Hale realized that he was probably working the night shift. Wondering what time it really was, as he hadn't checked, Hale looked up at the clock on the microwave, to see the growing green numbers flashing 3:23.

It was when Hale looked back to Esme to take in her worried expression that he remembered what had happened with Bella. He figured, by the way that it was so quiet and the worried faces, that there must be something much bigger going on.

Hale wasn't dumb enough anymore to think that it was him they were worried for.

His appetite dwindled away before he was looking into the golden yellow of his soup. The silence was oppressive. In a house where noise never seemed to stop, the room was quite wrong. Hale rapidly got down from his stool before making his way over to the sink to put away his bowl. Esme snapped out of her still position at the sign of his movement.

"Would you like anything else to eat, sweetheart? I made some chocolate chip cookies. I know how much you love those. Would you like one?" Hale felt anger build in his stomach before he pushed it back down. Did she think cookies would make up for this mess? In his mind, he also knew everyone was busy with the Bella situation, but he felt bitter.

He shook his head no, before quietly asking, "Did I miss any school?" Esme shook her head back.

"It's Monday, today. I can call in and tell them you're sick?"

"No. I miss enough school as it is," Hale abruptly stopped before realizing what he had said, and the fact that he hadn't censored it. Esme stopped and looked at him in shock. Hale knew it was a horrible thing to say. Carlisle and Esme felt bad enough about making him miss school so often. It would have been suspicious if the family went camping but let Hale go to school, and so if the family went camping, Hale went 'camping' as well, although that roughly translated to making Hale stay at home while everyone else went out for the day to feed.

"Never mind, I'm going to go to school tomorrow. Night."He almost ran upstairs before being stopped by deep "eh, hem."Hale looked up to see Emmett looking at him, mouth pulled in a frown, and suddenly, all eyes were on him.

"You alright, Hale." Hale's face, without his permission, contorted into something that must have been confusion mixed with equal parts surprise, and not a little bit of suspicion.

"What" Emmett questioned, trying to laugh and break the awkwardness of the situation. "Can't a brother wonder about his little brother? Jasper said you were in rough shape."

Hale couldn't understand why he would care. He looked around the room to see that all his brothers and sisters had worried expressions upon their faces, although he studiously avoided looking at Edward. Hale shrugged. "I'm fine. No worries. Night."

"Hale-" Edward's voice piped in as Hale reached the first step. Hale stopped breathing. There was a long silence. Hale could see Esme exit out of the kitchen to watch the scene from the corner of his eye. "I want to apologize for what I said in the clearing. I was rather… concerned about Bella's safety. I hope you can forgive me?"

For a long moment, Hale didn't say anything. There was no, I'm sorry I said that Hale, I didn't mean it, or, I'm sorry I said that Hale, you know that we all love you. Hale swallowed before continuing up the stairs.

"It's fine, Edward." Silence reigned after him.

He quickly ran the rest of the way upstairs, pretending as though he wasn't watched the whole way back up to his room. It was only after he shut his door behind him that he felt the eyes on the back of his neck stop watching him. Hale thought it was weird that they would all start caring now. He hated the fact that they had all instilled hope in him again.

The next day was bright and sunny, and as Hale was going to school, the camping excuse couldn't be used again when Esme called in to the school to give her excuses as to why they wouldn't be coming in. Instead, the excuse was that all the teens had caught a food bug from a restaurant in Seattle that weekend and were very sick. Hale told Esme it made sense because all the teachers knew that Hale's older brothers and sisters never hung out with him, so the chances of Hale being with them in Seattle was nil. Esme looked a bit sad about this, but Hale just shrugged. Who can argue with the truth?

So Carlisle took him to school that day. The ride was awkward, as Hale didn't know what to say, and so, to every question Carlisle asked, Hale would give him short, clipped answers back. Hale didn't want be like that, but he just couldn't seem to get over the fact that they had all but abandoned him the night before.

When they finally reached the school, Hale quickly exited the car, shouldered his bag, and didn't look back. He had a war to prepare for.

Hale was the least popular kid in school. It was a simple fact, and was made worse by the actuality that his brothers and sisters were easily the most beautiful people in the whole school and didn't communicate at all with anyone else but each other. Their family was termed as stuck-up, and because of this, Hale was teased even worse for being "too good for everybody" or the "runt of the family". He was called "the Ugly Duckling".

The part that made everything that much worse was that his other brothers and sisters let this continue. He didn't know if they didn't know about it, but knew that was a lame excuse because they were vampires with superhuman hearing. The fact that they had a mind reader was just the icing on the cake.

As he was slammed into the lockers by a passing senior for the fourth time that day, he felt the same bitterness he had felt the day before settle in. This time, he let it.

Hale should have known that Carlisle would forget to remind Esme to pick him up. Or remind anyone at all, really. The fact that there was still no car forty-five minutes after school had ended for the day to pick him up told him that clearly. And so far, no one had answered their cell phones. Hale felt his eyes sting again before kicking a rock away from him hostilely.

Hale decided to walk. It was less of a walk than from their house to the clearing, and he estimated that it would be about an hour. There were also no killer wolves on the loose prepared to gobble him up and eat him. Now that Hale thought about it, however, it was weird that the wolf hadn't done anything but growl at him. There was no reasonable explanation for why it chased him and then appeared to fall asleep. It had just sat there, almost as if it were keeping watch… The roads were empty and deserted as people were at home or at jobs. The few remaining leaves blew by on the empty streets, and Hale slid his hands into his jean pockets and thought on it.

A honk sounded behind him and startled him out of his thoughts. He turned around to see a black pick up drive by before parking in front of him at the side of the road. A teenager, a little bit older than Hale, jumped out before walking back towards him. Hale seized up, ready to run if he had to, but was a bit disarmed by the sweet smile that graced the boy's mouth. He had brown hair that fell in layers around his face and that ended at the ear, while the ends curled at the bottom. He had dark brown eyes, which were very warm, and his high cheekbones complimented his smaller nose well. He stood at an average height of 5'8", or so Hale thought, and had smaller defined muscles along his arms that were emphasized by his white t-shirt.

"Hey," he said, stopping in front of Hale and smiling. "Sorry to startle you, but it looked like you could use a ride. I just got my truck today and I want to take her for a spin. Need a ride?"

Hale felt his cheeks warm as the man gave him a crooked grin which reminded him of the one Edward seemed to sport around Bella. "Sure," he stuttered out, before receiving an even bigger grin.

"Cool," he answered, "Names Deric. Live a little ways out of town on a farm with my parents. Moving away soon, though, found a job in Seattle that I want to try out. Come on, hop on in." And with that he turned around and headed back towards his truck before hopping in. Hale swallowed tightly and proceeded to copy Deric's movements to get into the pick-up. It was a very nice vehicle, Hale saw as soon as he got it. It had plenty of room, and the black interior fit the sleek design well.

"So what's the address?" Deric questioned, looking over at Hale. For a moment, Hale thought that his eyes seized him up before he grinned again. Hale blushed but quickly sprouted off the address and they were off.

"So what you walking for?" Deric broke the silence by asking. He added, "it's a bit chilly out, and all."

Hale swallowed the well known lump in his throat before responding, "My parents were a bit busy, and no one could pick me up."

Deric seemed to sense his need for silence, or the fact that it hurt Hale, for he shut up about it, and instead started talking about the weather, the town, and that new restaurant being built a couple towns over. Hale let his voice soothe over him and, before he knew it, Deric was parking in front of his house.

"Well, thanks for the ride." Halle said tentatively. "It was nice of you to do."

"Aww, man. Ain't no problem. Anytime, really."Hale gave him a hesitant smile before opening the door. "Oh, what was your name?"

"Hale. Hale Cullen."

"Hale, huh? That's a cool name. Listen Halle, you ever need a lift or are ever bored, give me a call."That said, Deric quickly took out a piece of paper and a pen from the cubby situated in front of the passenger's seat and wrote down seven digits on a piece of paper. Hale gave him a bigger smile this time, which Deric seemed to like as he let loose a laugh and another large grin.

"Thanks. Here's mine." Hale tore off a bit of the sheet Deric just gave him, took the pen Deric handed out, and wrote his as well.

"No problem, now, you better get inside. That woman over there looks a bit worried." Hale glanced over to see Esme standing near the window, looking out, a fretful expression marring her features. 

"Talk to you later, Deric. And thanks again."

"No worries! Have a great night." Hale nodded and stepped out of the truck before turning and watching as Deric gunned his engine and drove off.

For the first time in a long while, Hale felt like he belonged.


	3. Chapter 3

So I've seen everyone thank people for their reviews before the story starts (just as I'm doing it now). Anyways, that is what this is, a thank you for all the reviews. It truly means alot to me that people really like my story. I'll try not to disappoint you. The story starts off a little slow but it will pick up, and I'm actually excited because I think this story is going in a direction no one will predict. I won't tell you to keep reviewing, as I don't want to seem forceful, but they make me feel really good and are a big reason why I've continued with this story. Expect quicker updates, as Christmas break is coming up. I foresee this story being about twenty chapter, but it may be longer. Hope you enjoy! Thanks again. Oh! In response to two readers, this is a Felix/Harry story, but, like it said, it starts out a bit slow. It will soon pick up. Thanks.

Miss Swallow

Chapter 3

In the next coming weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday, Hale found himself becoming closer and closer to Deric, and, even though the weather became increasingly dreadful and glum, Hale's spirits, which had been always been hovering near rock bottom, had been caught up on the upsweep of some new sort of wonder, that, dare he say, seemed magical. This marvel came in the form of Hale's discovery into the first true friendship he could ever claim. What started as one or two texts a day turned into hour long conversations every night. Hale was ecstatic. He had finally found someone willing to listen to him, acknowledge him; someone he could hang out with and who would be pleased to hang out with him as well. He couldn't contain his surprise in actually meeting someone like Deric who desired his company, who wouldn't forget that Hale existed. He couldn't be more pleased.

However, while Hale happily experienced this new found feeling brought on by his and Deric's new budding friendship, his parents, while also happy for him, couldn't seem to accept the growing relationship between the two and almost seemed slightly against it.

This hurt Hale, but rather than sweeping the emotions under the proverbial carpet, so to speak, he now had someone to talk to about it. And talk he did. Always a quiet child, Hale couldn't seem to shut up now. To his profound relief, however, he found that Deric was a trusted comrade who never judged him and always listened. Therefore, in the following weeks leading up to Christmas holiday, Hale found himself hanging out more and more with Deric, who didn't seem to mind the development at all.

The only problem was that now Deric had completely moved out of his parent's house and into his own apartment in Seattle. He tried to drive down often to see Hale, but with road conditions what they were, it just wasn't possible. Hale found this disappointed him, but they still called each other often and it was almost just as perfect as being together.

Hale also found joy in this new relationship as it gave Hale the excuse to spend long periods of time away from his family and the 'Bella Situation,' as he dubbed it. He still desired the love of his family, but decided that, if he couldn't have it, then he would just find love somewhere else. Deric only seemed too willing to take on this role.

So Hale found that he and Deric's strong friendship grew. Through their conversations, Hale also found that Deric was another gay man much like himself, which the two bonded over, as it was difficult enough growing up gay, but more difficult growing up gay in a small town where you were already bullied and less likely to be accepted at all. It was therefore no surprise as slowly their relationship started to become more.

After awhile, their meetings started to mean more. When they went to the moves, it suddenly seemed like a date. When they parked somewhere after getting takeout, the car's atmosphere seemed thick and warm, and when Deric finally grabbed Hale's hand while driving him back home, Hale felt some kind of emotion overtake his body. Everything felt electrified. The grin Hale sported that night was the widest anyone had ever known.

And so Hale found himself with, well, a boyfriend, sort of, but he didn't know quite what they were. Closer than close friends? Partners? Hale decided not to think on it too hard, but he had _someone, _finally, who would listen to him, would comfort him, and who, could, with time, perhaps love him as much as Hale wished someone would love him. Hale started to think that he had finally found a place he could belong. Because, with Deric, Hale finally had someone who cared.

And while the relationship between Hale and Deric grew stronger, the relationship Hale held with the other members of his family grew weaker. When he got home from school, he was faced with the tension, which only made him rely and fly back to Deric more. Hale suddenly found the relationship he had with his parents was wrought with tensity.

They didn't like that Deric didn't live at home. They also didn't like that Deric was in college. He was too old, Hale too young, they said. Hale's grades were dropping, it wasn't healthy. But at the same time, they didn't try to bring him back into the family. He was still as left out as before. No one was telling him what was going on with Bella and Edward, and while he cared for Deric, thinking about Edward still hurt him, and he locked him from his mind often. It seemed the only way to push away the issues his family and Edward represented from his mind was to focus all his attention on Deric. So focus he did.

Hard.

Things came to a head over the Christmas break. Forks received the most snowfall in history, which stopped Deric from coming to visit. Hale was extremely disappointed about this but understood. He wouldn't want anything bad to happen to Deric. No point in risking a crash for a couple hours of visiting. Hale couldn't deny that he would have really liked to see him, though. The whole family was downstairs, including Bella, and Hale felt as alone as ever. He wished Deric was here to focus on.

But because he was not, Hale decided to stick to his room. The rest of the family didn't usually give out Christmas presents anymore, although they all did get Hale a couple presents. His parents had been trying a little more these past few days to include him, but whenever they would come upstairs and ask him to come downstairs to have some family time, he would arrive downstairs and wind up sitting alone and in silence. The customary knock came, just as it did every night to ask him to come downstairs, came before Carlisle poked his head around.

"Hey, kiddo." He started. "Want to come down? We're going to pop in The Grinch? Esme made some appetizers and we have some sugar cookies fresh out of the oven."

Hale looked up from examining the last text Deric had sent him from his bed. "Sure. I like The Grinch. The cartoon version or the Jim Carey version?" He would try to include himself. Olive branch and all that.

Carlisle appeared to be listening for a moment before answering. He had probably got the answer from someone downstairs. "Ah, the Jim Carey version, I think."

"Cool. That's Deric's favorite, too."

Carlisle's face contorted quickly, as though he had swallowed a lemon, before evening out again just as quickly. But Hale caught it and it caused his breathe to catch before evening out again.

"I see. Things still going well between the two of you? His job going well?"

Hale tried to smile back, he really enjoyed talking about Deric, and he knew his father was trying.

"It's going well," Hale started, a much more real grin stretching his features and lighting his eyes. "He got me tickets to go to this smaller underground band. We're going in the beginning of January. I've never heard of them before, but from what Deric tells me they're super great."

"Not like Tchaikovsky, though?"

"Er, no. Deric doesn't really like Tchaikovsky, or Mozart, but, hey, I don't like some of his bands. We usually just listen to his music. It's good for some co- er, some friends to have differences. And the bands he likes are… they are pretty good. Really interesting."

Carlisle hummed before giving a slightly downhearted smile and again opening his mouth, a concerned look flashing across his yellowed eyes, "Son, don't you think you and Deric are a little… well, a little close? For being friends, I mean?"

Hale froze and swallowed. What was he supposed to say back to that? Hale suddenly became very uncomfortable as well. With his family's advanced hearing abilities, he knew that everyone downstairs would also be privy to what was going on. Hale shuffled a bit in his spot.

"We're just friends, dad," Hale tried, the lie making his voice a little higher than normal and tense as a bow string.

Carlisle nodded slowly, staring right at him for a moment before coming further into the room, shutting the door, and sitting down on the bed where Hale was leaning against his headboard, reading a book on the greatest musicians of the 18th and 19th centuries. For awhile no one spoke, although Hale cursed the fact that his heart was flying around in his chest, knocking into his lungs and chest plate. He knew Carlisle would be able to hear it. He cursed the fact that it gave him away.

"You know, Hale, that it's, well, it's fine if you're… gay. We would still love you, your mother and I."

Hale felt water gather in his eyes. He was a little shocked and grateful, as he had not been expecting that response at all. It almost felt as though something heavy that he had been carrying around with him on his back for ages was lifted up and away from his small person.

Hale took a deep, shuddering breath, "Er," he tried to begin, "that's, um, thanks. Cause, you know, I'm probably, um, gay." The last ended in a whisper. Hale glanced up and through his hanging bangs to see how his father would react to the news and if he was really okay with it like he had said he would be. It then therefore, to Hale's astonishment, that he saw a small smile playing across his father's lips, and his eyes, which seemed tired before, brightened a bit. Hale allowed some of the tension still residing in his body to leave him as his father reached out a hand and grabbed Hale's hand in his cold grasp.

"That a good book?" Carlisle suddenly asked, that same smile still playing about on his face.

Hale looked down, confused, before glancing back up at his father. "Yes," he answered tentatively. "I love musicians from this time period."

"I know you do." Carlisle cleared his throat. "Are you in a, ah, relationship with this Deric, then?"

Hale felt tension gather again before letting it go at the look of calm on his father's face.

"Er, I think so. I, um, really like him." Hale whispered. "He's really great, and he's funny, and he does this thing with his nose when he's confused. It's, um, cute. He's really smart, too. And he's got a great job, where he makes really good money. I'm sort of proud of him." Hale cut himself off before he embarrassed himself further and glanced back to his father. His was still smiling, but now it seemed a touch concerned.

"What is it?" Hale questioned, feeling truly connected to his father for the first time in months.

"I'm, how to put this, a touch concerned." Hale felt his eyebrows furrow in confusion.

"What are you concerned about? He's been really great to me. We have a lot in common. He, well, he really… seems… to care about me. A lot. It's really… it's really nice."

"Yes, and I understand that," Carlisle began, although Hale sensed a but, "I'm just concerned that you're getting a little too serious too quickly. He's very… attentive towards you…"

"What's wrong with that? Edward watches Bella all the time. I mean, if Deric's attentive he's still got nothing on Edward. I don't understand why none of you seem to like him. He's been nothing but respectful towards everyone here."

"It's not just that, son," Carlisle broke in, looking very concerned. "I'm also concerned because he's quite a bit older than you and he's, ah, also more experienced."

Hale felt his cheeks heat up.

"Dad!" Hale groaned out, terribly embarrassed. "Honestly, we haven't even been going out that long. Besides, I've read all about…." Hale abruptly stopped as he realized what he had said. He ended it by adding "I know what to expect, and, quite frankly, I think that's sort of my decision."

Carlisle looked very uncomfortable as well, but he also looked even more concerned. "I just want to say that, because you are perhaps not aware, physical intimacy carries along other emotions and feelings. And," Carlisle let out an unneeded sign before clasping Hale's hand tighter, "I worry, because I love you. I would like you to wait until you are older because I believe it is an experience that is worth the wait, but also, an experience that should not be carried out carelessly. Giving yourself to someone like that is a, well, it is a large step. It conveys things you may not yet be aware of, and establish bonds that you may not know to exist. I just want you to be safe."

Hale swallowed hard before biting his lip. "Thanks, dad," he croaked out. "I really appreciate it. And I will be, careful, that is. I promise."

Carlisle nodded, looking down onto Hale's bowed head before unclasping the hand that held Hales and instead placed it on the side of Hale's face. He lifted up Hale's face towards his before lightly kissing Hale on the forehead.

"That's enough serious business for one day, I think." Hale cracked a smile at that as Carlisle continued, "Let's go downstairs now and watch that movie Deric is so fond of."

Hale felt his heart lift at Carlisle's small joke and smiled back.

"Okay. That sounds good to me."

"For me as well." That said, Hale got up, bookmarked his place in his book before laying it upon his made bed, and walkied out with his father. On the way, Carlisle threw an arm around him and hugged him to his body. Hale grinned larger and huddled close. He didn't mind the cold when he was so warm.

The Christmas break passed by quickly after that night, and Hale was surprised to say that he actually enjoyed the break with his family. He and his father had had a couple more heart to heart talks that ended on the same light notes as the 'Embarrassing Night' as he dubbed it, and his brothers and sisters had started to tentatively start conversations with him that, although they dwindled away rather quickly, further emphasizing their poor relationships, gave Hale hope that his family's love was something he could hopefully gain in time.

Everything in his life seemed to be going well. His family was fine with the fact that he was gay, he had a wonderful boyfriend, and the love he had once felt for Edward had begun to dwindle away, although never gone, Hale figured that it would always be there, a little bit like a scar.

But with all good things there has to be end, which stumbled and crashed into his life, taking the gangly form of Bella Swan. The situation with James, which had caused small parts of the holiday to be tense and uncomfortable, had worsened. Hale didn't know how it had gotten so bad so fast, but the catalyst was the deaths of two hikers who been killed while out camping the last weekend, and on their property, so to speak.

This normally wouldn't have bothered them, but the hikers' throats appeared to have been scratched open, and their blood mysteriously gone. It was a wonderful basis for any horror movie. The rumors as to the causes of their deaths ranged from bear attack to mad scientist psycho murderer, to vampires, but was only said jokingly to diffuse the horror of the situation. It was not, however, a laughing matter to Carlisle, Esme, and the rest of their coven.

It seemed as though James was stirring up trouble. For whatever reason, they couldn't predict. Edward grasped to the idea that he was trying to get to their coven and cause some sort of interaction like deadly glue, while Alice didn't necessarily disagree, but she didn't agree wholeheartedly either. She did state that she sensed more deaths to come, which she had foreseen happening. Alice told them to wait it out for a couple days before their answers would arrive in the form of James's other coven member, Laurent.

True to form and Alice's visions, Laurent showed up in all his cowardly glory late Sunday night of New Year's. Hale was busy texting Deric and watching a documentary on Mozart on the downstairs TV when he hear the doorbell. Quickly muting the TV before getting up and making his way to the door, he was passed by Edward, who proceeded to open the door. Before he could see who it was, Hale found himself looking at the back of Esme, who seemed to have also moved quickly to protect him. Hale felt a warm glow heat his insides at that action, but still tried to poke his head around the back of her head to catch a glimpse of their mysterious visitor.

"Come in," Edward growled out. "But know that you are being watched, and one wrong move will result in your death."

Laurent, for his part, didn't appear too fazed by the threat, but still held up his hands and moved very slowly into the house, his eyes continually moved about the room quickly, never resting on one specific thing. Hale also looked around and tried to see what Laurent was seeing from his point of view.

Hale looked behind him to see the rest of his brothers and sisters were standing at full attention, ready to spring at the first sign of trouble if they had to. Bella sat a little ways away from them, but still behind them, looking more curious than anything. Hale wondered if she truly comprehended how easily a vampire could snap her little human head, and quietly blamed her for this mess before proceeding to answer the text from Deric.

"Now, I'm under the impression that you have some information or us involving James," Edward started in a no nonsense voice.

Laurent nodded once before seemingly getting himself together and starting, "James, he wants her," there he nodded towards Bella before continuing, ignoring Edward's frozen position and growl, "I don't know why. I do know that he sees dangerous situations as games to be won, and that he will not give up. He's not quite right in the head, if you know what I mean."

"Do you know why he killed those hikers, He had to have known that that would be cause for full out attack from our coven," Carlisle asked, ostensibly unperturbed. Edward sent him a look, to which Carlisle raised an elegant brow.

Laurent gave a careless shrug. "Last I knew, that was just a plan. I only came back when I heard about the hikers dieing. I didn't want to get blamed for something I had no control over. At most, I believe that he is trying to get you to act first. He sees this all as a game."

"And so we are backed into a wall-" Carlisle stated heavily. Edward did not appear to be too concerned about that, however. He instead bit out, "So you are not associated with James and Victoria anymore?"

Laurent gave him a startled look. "Associated? No, we were barely friends. I only stuck with them because I did not know what else to do, or where else to go. I do get lonely from time to time, you know."

Edward had to have read the truth in the matter because he gave a short nod in response, though he looked angry to do so.

"We thank you for your time, and for coming here to warm us," Carlisle started. "Do you know what else James may have planned?"

By this time Laurent had taken down his raised arms. "I'm not sure. All I know is that he is a great tracker, and he will not stop until he gets what he wants, or is stopped." Here he gave Carlisle a heavy look lidded with meaning. "Do not underestimate him. Also, the redhead with him, Victoria, is his mate. I do not know if they will work together in this. She usually does not like it when he goes after the females. But if she feels particularly loving…" Here Laurent broke off and gave a human-like shrug. Edward nodded again, face much more serious.

Carlisle and Edward began to talk in fast voices, and Hale watched as Laurent looked around the home in amazement before his eyes landed on Hale himself. Hale looked down quickly, back to his text with Deric.

"He's part of our coven," Carlisle stated, his voice icy. Hale shivered before looking back up to Laurent.

"Duly noted," Laurent murmured, and looked away again.

"I think that is all we have to discuss," Carlisle stated after another couple of seconds of discussion with Edward, "unless you have something, anything else to add?"

Laurent shook his head.

"Very well, let me show you out." They both walked to the door, where Carlisle let him out, telling him to have a pleasant evening. The vampires then stood still and quiet, all obviously waiting for something, which Hale assumed was the indication that Laurent was completely gone, before they started talking. Hale didn't draw attention to himself as Esme finally moved away from her position in front of Hale, already sensing that he wasn't supposed to know what was going on, but wanting to stay for however long he could.

"That was a little bit worthless. We already knew that James killing the hikers was a way to draw us out. However, this thing about him being a tracker is rather startling. I do not know what his ability all involves, especially since Laurent claims that we should beware of it." Alice started. "I can't even see anything coming up in my visions."

"His mind didn't yield anything new either." Edward stated, a frown distorting his features.

"I may have to contact an ally, especially if James is committing these sorts of crimes. This is exactly what the Volturi does not want." Carlisle began heavily.

"Do you think that wise," Edward questioned. "We do have Bella. I do not foresee them being very happy with a human knowing about us."

"You're right, Edward, but I do not know who else to go to. If this gets too far out of hand, the Volturi may be forced to come anyways. But I suppose we could wait awhile, see if something else will happen."

"I think that would be best," Jasper inserted. "James's emotions were a bit chaotic, and he seemed slightly unhinged, just like Laurent mentioned. I honestly don't believe that he knows what he himself will do next, which explains the lack of visions Alice has been having regarding James."

Alice nodded to that, showing her agreement.

Jasper continued, "He may slip up without interference and then we can attack. I think it is safe to say that at this point, we will end up killing him on sight."

Alice nodded again to that, before grabbing Jasper's hand and leaning against him.

"Alright," Carlisle murmured. "We keep a look out. If he gets close enough to the town we go in and take him out. At this point, however, chasing after him could lead us on a wild chase, especially if we do not know what kind of a factor the redhead will have in all of this. That may be the exact thing he wants us to do. We will tread carefully here."

Silence reigned before Bella coughed lightly, and then everyone was moving back to their spots, with Edward leading Bella upstairs. Hale moved back to his position on the couch and proceeded to un-mute the sound before continuing the documentary. The only thing that Hale didn't tell Deric about was the vampire business, but Hale wished he could. It was getting so much more dangerous now. Hale shivered and almost felt bad for Bella. Almost.

The winter freeze ended abruptly, and with it, Deric's access into Forks continued, although the cold rigidity that permeated Hale's house continued to make it's presence know. After Laurent's talk, it seemed as though everyone in the house was on high alert. Hale metaphorically felt as though he had to walk on eggshells, which, at times, felt comparable to his heart, because with the pressure of James and Victoria, all talks and interaction between Hale and his family appeared to end. Carlisle still tried to include him, and Esme still attempted to make him feel loved and give him their time, but everybody was far too distracted by the threat James represented to pay much attention. And like that, Hale's hope was snuffed out like a puny match in the middle of the ocean. There was too much working against him.

Hale found himself once again turning more and more to Deric, until Deric was the only one he talked to at all. Their texting, which had been continuous before and consisted of all day conversations, had now become much more ferocious in their speed and accuracy. Hale found himself continually distracted by all things Deric at home and at school. Hale couldn't seem to care, though. At the end of the day, he was the only thing he thought about, the only thing he wanted, and the only one he wanted to talk to. Deric was an obsession, and Hale a junkie. He just couldn't get enough.

And it appeared as though Deric needed him just as much. He received multiple texts from him all the time, always wondering as to what he was doing, who he was with, asking to hang out, or when they could next be together. Hale found the questions loving rather than constricting, as no one had ever cared or wanted to know so much about what he was doing, or how he was doing. It made Hale feel silly and giddy all at once.

It was on January fifth, however, that things blew up out of anyone's control. Deric had shown up at Hale's strained house to pick him up for the concert. Hale met him at the door just as Deric was about to ring the doorbell, ignoring Esme's hovering presence near the kitchen.

Hale laughed out loud when he saw him, his face shining. "You brought flowers!" Hale exclaimed.

Deric blushed and grinned sheepishly before handing Hale the yellow roses. He looked particularly handsome in his dark green t-shirt, with his brown coat thrown over, and his dark brown scarf, and light washed jeans. "Yeah, I remembered you saying that no one had ever given you flowers before. And, well, I 'spose guys can enjoy flowers, too."

Hale felt his heart burst. "They're really pretty."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Hale gave him another smile before turning around and asking Esme to put them in a vase for her, which she silently did, all the while holding an indescribable face. Grabbing Deric's hand, he and Hale quickly walked towards the pick up. He blushed again as Deric opened the door for him and helped him in, closed Hale's door, and ran around to his own door.

He gunned the engine and they were off. Hale felt his excitement and joy consume him. The first couple of moments were spent in comfortable silence before they started to talk. Hale found he always enjoyed talking with Deric, and, although they had some things they differed on, Hale decided to ignore that and focus on all the other things they did have in common.

They chatted about this and that, the talk lighthearted and flowing. Hale couldn't be happier. He laughed and flirted, and both enjoyed each others company greatly.

"Oh!" Deric tried to begin, still laughing over a joke the two had just shared. "You still have to meet my two best friends! Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Ron's a bit of a hothead, but he's got a good a good heart, and Hermione's a bit of a bookworm but she's awesome. Got a good heart, too. Both have stuck by me through everything."

"That's really nice. It must have been great to have had friends." Hale stated, smiling.

"Yeah, it was." Deric turned to look at Hale, giving him a heart melting grin, before turning into a parking lot filled with other cars. He quickly found a spot near the back and hopped out, hurrying to Hale's side to let him out as well. He helped him out, and together they walked, hand and hand towards the building where the concert was supposed to be.

"They aren't exactly famous," Deric started, "But they are dead awesome. Fall Out Boy started small too before they became famous." Hale nodded in agreement, although he did not know who Fall Out Boy was, as they picked their way to the front doors, where a large, bald man stood taking tickets. He had a long scar down the right side of his face, and one of his eyebrows was half gone. Hale huddled a bit closer to Deric, who allowed it by slipping an arm around him. The buff man took the tickets without a word, and they both headed inside, maneuvering their way around other groups or lone people standing about.

Hale was surprised at how busy it actually was, but was very excited all the same. Deric smelled and felt nice next to him. Hale glanced around, feeling a bit blissful before he realized that there were other gay couples much like himself. A tiny bit of tension that he had held inside was let loose as he felt like he belonged.

The lights were low, but it was still rather bright thanks to the candles all situated around the room. It was a little bit romantic, too. It reminded Hale of the time Edward had caught a hundred fireflies for him and put them in multiple jars around the yard. They had sat up and watched the fireflies light up the backyard like a magical fairy tale far into the night. The memory still struck him as one of his most peaceful, back when Hale still felt as though he belonged. Hale felt his chest tighten.

Deric interrupted his thoughts by leaning down, kissing his cheek, and whispering in his ear, "What do you think?"

Hale smiled back at him and whispered back, blushing, "I think this is neat. I like the candles."

Deric looked up at the candles and smiled, "They do that at every performance. I'm convinced the lead singer is a pyromaniac, though." Hale laughed in response and was hugged closer for it. As the remaining minutes passed by, one worker would come along and blow out a candle until all the candles were gone. When that happened, all talking ceased as the room was left in darkness. From the side in front of Hale where he knew the stage was, five candles seemingly floated out of the darkness until they stopped in prearranged places. A low hum began, and went on and on until Hale thought it would never end before, what seemed like a miniature firework, went off, and a guitar started up with the pounding of drums and all the lights came on.

Hale was actually impressed and turned to smile at Deric who was cheering with the rest of the fans. Hale smiled again before turning back to watch the performance. It lasted about two hours and, while Hale preferred orchestral music, he certainly enjoyed the performance. They left with the rest of the excitedly babbling bunch.

On the way out, Hale looked again for the buff man, but couldn't see him. He found that odd for some reason, instead focused on the feelings coursing through his body. He breathed in deeply, looking up into the clear, dark sky of beautiful January. The moon was particularly bright and full, and light up parking lot and the hundreds of people also stumbling around. While walking back, Deric quietly sang the songs from the performance under his breath, his arm tightly wrapped around Hale.

Hale breathed out a fogged breathe in response to the chilly air, enjoying the bite in his lungs and the slightly wind in his face while he helped Deric search for his truck. It was while Hale was looking beyond all the passing faces of the fans that his eyes passed by a familiar face. Confused and a little startled, he did a double take and froze.

It was James, and he was staring right at Hale.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hale froze and his breaths, which had billowing out of his mouth like clouds, stuttered within his chest like a broken train. What was he doing here? What was going on? Without thinking, Hale yanked Deric blindly in the opposite direction.

Deric appeared baffled for a moment before lighting up. "Hale! What is it? Oh, there's my truck. How silly of us, going in the wrong direction…." He let loose a laugh.

Hale, however, couldn't breathe, couldn't think. His muscles were shaking and he had never been so scared in his life. Not even when he had been attacked by the wolf in the forest in November. A wolf didn't have a humane mind set, it couldn't sit there and torture you for hours if it so chose. It just killed you and that was the end of that. No lingering pain, no agonized moments of suffering, just the leap and game over.

He somehow sensed it wouldn't be like that if James caught him.

He didn't even know if calling Carlisle and telling him that James was here was a good idea, especially in front of Deric. Hale questioned if there was any point to it, as well. By the time anyone showed up, whatever James had planned would be over and done with. Unless Carlisle could come up with a plan… Hale had to admit that just hearing Carlisle's voice at this point would be a soothing balm to his scattered brain.

Hale anxiously worked his way through the crowd, trying to quickly reach the truck while actually dragging Deric along behind him and trying to avoid clusters of people standing about. All that seemed to matter was getting to the truck, because at least in there Hale could keep the fake illusion that he was safe from James. If James was here and had saw him, then there had to be a reason. He had to have been looking for someone, and that someone appeared to be Hale. For what reason, he had no idea. He just knew that no vampire came out into public for no reason, not with their red eyes, which easily gave them away.

They were very obvious, after all. Hale shivered.

From the distance, Deric's voice started getting louder until Hale realized, in his panic, that all sound had turned off for him. He blindly looked up into Deric's concerned face, his own face full of panic and anguished.

Deric looked even more disconcerted and made Hale stop his brisk walk to his truck by catching the top of Hale's arm. "Hale? What is it? What's wrong? You're really worrying me. I was trying to get your attention for a couple minutes." Hale ignored him in favor of looking around anxiously, trying to see if he could see James again. There was no sign of him. Hale swallowed. That was not a good sign.

"Hale, please. What is it? Did you see something?" Deric's face suddenly contorted. "Was somebody threatening you? Huh?" Deric shook Hale by the arm. Hale swallowed tightly, agitation jumping around in his insides like children jumping on a trampoline. Hale decided to chance it. He had to try.

"I have to make a call."

"What?" Deric appeared very frustrated and not a little scared now.

"A call, a call, a call," Hale mumbled over and over again, as he reached into his pocket for his phone, his cold hands fumbling with the buttons. The crowd was dispersing, which Hale also knew to not be a good sign. Hale hit speed dial and in moments was on the line with Carlisle.

"Yes, Hale, what is it?"

"Dad," Hale began, his words rushed and dismayed. At this point, he couldn't care less if Deric heard what he was saying. "I saw James. He's here. He was outside the building when we came out. He saw me, oh God, he saw me. Dad, what do I do? What do I do, dad?" Hale knew he sounded hysterical, and by the sudden silence on the other end of the line, Hale knew his father had begun to panic as well.

That was not a good sign.

"Oh. Oh, I see. Hale. Oh, Hale. Don't move; stay within any large crowds. What's your address? What part of town? I have Emmett and Rosalie headed your way." Hale stopped a moment to wonder why more of his brothers and sisters weren't coming, before putting it from his mind, looking around frantically for any large group of people that he and Deric could join and hide among.

By this time, however, the crowd was dispersing as they found their vehicles and prepared to head home. A couple smaller groups remained, but Hale wished they were larger. Deric looked a little frightened, which Hale thought was fitting but felt badly about.

"What's the address, Deric," Hale whispered frantically.

Deric shrugged, eyes wide, "The building's called The Panic Room, and it's off of first down South a bit, I think. What is going on, Hale? Are we in any trouble?"

Hale shook his head, trying to lie now would totally give him away. "We just need to stick with the crowd." Hale put the phone back to his ear, only to hear the dial tone on the other end. Carlisle had hung up, which Hale hoped meant that they had left to help them.

Deric looked confused, but did as he said, and, hand in hand, Hale jogged them over to a larger part of the crowd that looked to be a bit drunk and talking about the show. Hale hoped they stuck around for awhile. For the most part, Hale knew they just had to hang tight until help came and everything would be fine. His breathe came out in shuddering gasps as he grasped Deric's hand hard. Deric looked as though he wanted to say something but instead kept his mouth closed tight. Hale looked up at him and felt bad. His whole face appeared riddled with tension.

"I'm sorry," Hale had to murmur. Deric looked down at him in confusion. He had been scanning the crowds, eyebrows furrowed and eyes dark in the night.

"What you sorry for?" Deric questioned. "I just don't know what's going on."

Hale swallowed. "I may have just ruined our night."

"Nah," Deric argued. "No way to do that." He tried to give Hale a smile, but it was a bit strained. Hale bit his lip. For awhile all they heard was the murmuring of the crowd. Hale didn't allow himself to relax, and instead wondered what was taking Emmett and Rosalie so long to get here. It was as they were standing there, however, that the screaming started. It began over to Hale's right, closer to the building. Hale glanced over and slowly, almost as if in slow motion, saw a red SUV flying through the air, almost as if it had been thrown by some unknown force. What happened next couldn't be described as anything but all out pandemonium and confusion.

Hale's mouth dropped open and he gripped Deric's hand as the SUV slowly twisted through the air vertically. The small crowd of people still loitering about in the parking lot froze before they all began screaming hysterically and running about, trying to get out of the vehicles way. Because that's what it was doing; flying in their direction. Straight at the crowd.

Right towards Deric and Hale.

They tried to turn around and flee as well, but ended up becoming separated by the mob of screaming and hysterical people. Hale found his body being pushed this way and that through the crowd, as though he were nothing more than a rag doll. He tried screaming out for Deric, and might have heard an answering call back before another car suddenly exploded in his peripheral vision. All the horror and surprise etched deeply onto the faces of the people running by him was photographed into his memory by the bright flash of the explosion. He fell over and down as the explosion rocked the ground. He gasped as someone ran over him, before watching the same person trip and trampled himself.

Hale shuddered out his breaths as tears and panic clogged his throat and eyes. His hands shook erratically as he tried to help himself up before, suddenly, he was being grabbed by cold, strong hands. Hale looked behind him, relief beginning to flow through his body, before he saw, to his extreme terror, the menacing smile of James. Hale tried to scream, but it did no good for in the next second, they were blocks away from the scene of mayhem and confusion.

He tried to twist himself out of the grasp, even knowing it would do no good. Hale tried to think of places James would take him before James stopped running, set Hale on his feet, grabbed his arm, and slowly, as though breaking a branch, snapped Hale's arm. He screamed, before being shut up by a strong slap to the face.

James smiled and laughed in delight. All Hale knew after that was black.

* * *

><p>When Hale next woke, he had to blink his eyes a couple of times to focus correctly. He moved slowly, hampered by his tied wrists and ankles, but also the overwhelming pain that would hammer through his body when he moved. His face stung as though he had just had his head bashed in. His arm hung at a funny angle that he knew was not normal. He simply ached.<p>

Hale felt tears gather at the sides of his eyes as he gasped for breath in his uncomfortable position. Turning his head slowly and looking around, he searched the gloom of the room. A small sliver of light entered through blinds placed far above his head on the one wall that he faced. The floor was hard, and was either wood or concrete. He couldn't see anything else but the dark. Hale swallowed and tried twisting his head around more.

He didn't know where James was.

Hale suddenly involuntarily gasped as he remembered Deric, before searching through the gloom harder. Did he manage to get Deric, too. Hale felt tears stream down his cheeks at the thought before letting out a sob and shivering. It was very cold on the floor, and he didn't know whether he would have liked Deric there more or not. Maybe for company, but not if he was going to die.

A door creaked open behind him before light steps echoed through the gloom and dark of the room. Hale felt his heart shudder in his chest and tried to pause in his movements so he could hear better. His breathing picked up in pace as goose bumps rose on his arms and neck. He was truly in the presence of a predator.

"Ah, awake, I see. How… delightful." The footsteps came nearer, the sound echoing around the dark room. A chuckle rang out, causing the hair on the rest of Hale's body to rise. He shivered again. The footsteps came nearer and nearer until Hale felt the steps walk around his quaking form before they stopped right in front of Hale's face so he could clearly see them from his position on the floor. Hale took in the brown, mud spattered leather boots before trying to raise his head and instead hissing out in pain.

Suddenly, he found himself lifted up like a doll by the collar of his shirt. Shocked and dismayed, Hale could only look forwards into the red eyes of James, a psychotic smile stretching his features in a monstrous face. In that moment, Hale never knew how he had ever found James somewhat attractive. Everything now told him to get away; flee. Hale felt a whimper claw its way out of his throat.

James leaned forward, pressing his nose to Hale's neck before breathing in deeply. A low hum of appreciation exited his curled mouth. Hale whimpered again, tears gathering in his eyes and falling down his face.

"How lovely it will be to finally have you later, dear Cullen. It was sweet torture, I assure you, not taking a bite on my way here. However, as I'm using you for bait, you know. It's not good form to be rude to the company. And it's not really you I want, but that Bella." Here a truly horrifying look entered his eyes and when paired with his smile, it made Hale flinch. "How amusing it will be to get her in return for you, but, well, whoever said I would have to return you alive? Certainly not me!" He let out a large cackle before dropping Hale carelessly.

He cried out in alarm and pain as his arm was jarred again and removed from its socket. Hale sobbed on the floor, feeling alone. James studied him as a painter might look at his own painting, admiring the beauty of the piece and thinking back on the procedures he went through to make it. James laughed again before turning around and walking towards the sliver of light. Hale followed his movements with his eyes from his broken position on the floor. The way the light came through the window highlighted James's red, glowing eye in some sort of parody.

"I have left a note, more of a ransom, really. Well, I had Victoria give them the note, but that's not important. My conditions are that I will give you to them in exchange for Bella." He let out another deep chuckle, still looking out of the window.

He continued, voice amused, "But I will not give you back to them alive. I grow tired of this game, really. It's all been so tiring. I must say, though, it has been fun. You, though, you were so easy to get! Honestly, it didn't take any effort at all. And for that, I will kill you. Isn't it clever, though, that while everyone was focusing on protecting Bella, I snapped you right up from under their noses." James let out another deep laugh that went on for several moments. Hale was starting to understand what Laurent meant when he said James was crazy.

"They must be so embarrassed! A vampire coven, with hundreds of years of experience, not able to foresee me taking you at all! That poor Alice! Ha, ha, ha! She must feel so silly, not seeing this outcome!" Here he stopped again, as though considering something, before turning back around to face Hale, for once completely still and serious. It took Hale aback, as he had not seen his face look anything else but crazed since he had been kidnapped.

"I don't think they really love you much at all. Did you know that when I came for you and you called your dear father, thinking you would receive help, that no one really reacted very quickly? At least, that's what Victoria tells me. I do rather her like her, most times." Here James sighed and turned around again, before standing completely still.

"She comes with their response." A maniacal grin lit up his features before he spoke to someone behind Hale, voice almost gentle, "Ah, Victoria, my dear. What did they have to say for themselves? Are they giving me Bella? Are they?"

Hale swallowed down his bile that rose up with his hysterical laugh. James sounded like some sick child asking for a dead body for Christmas. Hale continued to shiver, trying to listen to what was going on.

Victoria must have given him some sort of negative sign, for James gasped, outraged.

"What! But I have their son, their fragile, human son! I thought Laurent said that they considered him apart of the family? LIES! THAT TRAITOR! I'LL KILL HIM! I WILL!" A large crash sounded through the room, followed by Victoria's high pitched scream. The next thing Hale knew, he was being picked up and thrown across the room. He screamed, before slamming into the wall with a force unparalleled to anything he had ever known. Hale sobbed and cried as he landed on the floor. His head ached as he was slowly grabbed by his hair and picked up. He slowly and blurrily faced the enraged face of a nightmare, teeth bared and eyes so red it hurt his eyes to look at them.

"Did you hear that, you pathetic little boy?" Here he shook him. "DID YOU! THEY SAID NO! HA, HA, HA! THEY DON'T WANT YOU! BUT I DO! AND NOW I WILL KILL YOU!" Hale was tossed away again as though he were a fly, hitting the far wall. Something cracked, and his leg ached where he landed on it. Hale couldn't focus, and as his tears blurred his eyes he saw James stalking towards him, his bloodthirsty glory plain for all to see and evident like some terrible creature of hell. Hale laughed weakly. That's what he was. A creature of hell, come to take him down with him to his pit of despair.

Hale let out a small keen again as he was grabbed and lifted up by his neck, the colors around him distorted and the shapes blurred into one, until all he saw were the red eyes of James. He felt James claw the top of his shirt. But the pain was muted as he and his neck were slowly pulled towards James's mouth. Hale felt blackness gather at the corners of his eyes before a streak of gray rammed into both he and James, jarring him out of James' arms.

Hale was flung backwards once again, landing with a small thump. He tried to open his eyes from is position on his back, but it was no use because everything appeared to be blurry in the poor lighting of the room. Hale compared it to a dream. Where you watched, not able to understand, but still there. Waiting to wake up. He wanted to wake up. He heard a low animalistic growl echo through the room followed by a crash and the growl broke off. Hale shivered as James laughed before it abruptly broke off as a high crunch, followed by a ripping sound, the kind presents make as you open them, was heard, and then silence followed. He heard Victoria's high pitched scream of rage before it faded. His stomach rolled. More shadowy figures ran by before one stopped right in front of him, looking down. Hale tried to focus. He thought he saw an orange blur build, but he couldn't be sure. He couldn't even swallow. He had never seen this figure before. This wasn't James. But the eyes were still red. And they were looking down at him. They stared at each other in silence before the figure leaned down and swept Hale up bridal style. It felt very gentle to Hale, who stared up at the figure in wonder, still horribly scared, but somehow not in his arms.

"You're safe. I've got you." A gruff voice whispered in his ear, musical and deep.

Hale could breathe again. After that, all he knew was silence. As peaceful as the ocean on a clear, blue day.

* * *

><p>Hale woke to an incessant beeping, before flipping open his eyes and twitching abruptly in panic, his voice and breathe catching. He let out a small, hoarse yell.<p>

A figure abruptly moved on his right before, "Shhhhhh, honey. You're fine, you're just fine. Oh, sweetheart, we're here now, we're here. It will be fine, we're all fine." Esme's soothing croon entered his ear, and Hale let the tension drain from his body before he closed his eyes and laid back down. Tears gathered in his eyes as a hand petted his hair before two hands were placed on the side of his face.

"Please, honey. Open your eyes for mommy. Let me see your beautiful eyes."

Hale did as he was told, only to come face to face with the heart aching picture of his mother's eyes and mouth. Esme looked as though all she had seen was agony. She gasped out an unneeded breath as she beheld Hale's green eyes before placing her forehead against his own and breathing deeply through her nose, eyes closed. Hale wondered if she was smelling him. Hale closed his eyes again also. He didn't know what to do.

Hale took stock of his body, realizing that his left arm and leg were both in a cast, as was his neck, which was situated in a neck brace. Wires attached to his arms pumped blood and other chemicals to and from machines and to him. He enjoyed Esme's cool skin against his overheated forehead. It helped relieve some of the pain lingering on his cheek that pulsed along with his heartbeat.

After a few moments her presence left only to be replaced by his father, who kissed his forehead lightly and smoothed one cold hand down the side of his face before soothing his cheek, his touch gentle and heartfelt. Hale swallowed tightly and opened his eyes to catch Carlisle's own. It was then that he also took in the rest of the room. The rest of his brothers and sisters were all standing around his bed, Bella included, starting at him as though they didn't know what to say. Hale turned his eyes away again before swallowing.

He tried to choke out a question, but was unable to because of the soreness in his throat. He coughed before his head was lightly lifted up and a straw placed to his lips. Hale swallowed refreshing mouthfuls before leaning away. The straw's presence left and his head was lowered down to the pillow again. He tried again.

"What happened?" He managed to croak out. "What's wrong with me?"

A pained expression crossed Carlisle's face before he sat on the side of Hale's hospital bed, grabbing his hand like old times. Hale found he had no real control over his movements, and that both his leg and arm felt heavy. His face throbbed and ached.

"You broke your arm and your leg, and managed to strain your neck rather badly. You're also very badly bruised, particularly on your face and back. The cover story is that you were trampled quite badly. We had to tell Deric something. It will be a little difficult to move for awhile."

"No, not that," Hale interrupted, glad to hear Deric was still alive. "What happened with James? Is he… is he gone?" Hale's voice ended on a hopeful note, bottom lip wobbling and lungs frozen. "And Deric? Is he fine?"

Carlisle swallowed before starting, "Yes. He is. And yes, James is dead. As you know, James came for you. We were not expecting him to strike that way, and were distracted by Victoria, who had appeared too close to Forks for comfort. Therefore, Alice focused on her rather than James, who then used the opportunity to come in and abduct you." Carlisle gave a shuddering breath before leaning forwards, his other hand covering his eyes. The move shocked Hale. He couldn't ever remember Carlisle looking so distraught before.

"I got your call shortly after I had sent Alice and Jasper after her. Emmett and Rosalie were about to go join them when your call came. I immediately had them head out after James rather than Victoria, who we realized was a diversion at this point. I… we didn't get to you in time. Rosalie and Emmett arrived just as they saw you picked up by James and carried off. They tried to follow, but quickly lost you in the streets of Seattle, where we assume he had another accomplice who helped steer Rosalie and Emmett off his track. By this point," Carlisle swallowed. "I panicked. I got a hold of the Volturi and told them about the situation. They sent me two guards to help our family stalk down James."

Carlisle stopped again before looking at Hale's hand for long moments and then at his knees. "It seems as though James has been an annoyance for them as well, and they were only too happy to send some guards to help us destroy him. In that time, James had you for about a day. I must admit, it was the longest day in all my years as a vampire. Just… waiting." Carlisle stopped abruptly, as though he had forgotten himself.

"It was while waiting for the Volturi guards to arrive that we received the ransom so to speak. You back in exchange for Bella. We were, well, faced with a difficult position." Here Carlisle turned to look at Edward, expression dead. Edward actually flinched, although he pulled Bella closer to him, face resolute. Carlisle sighed.

"We knew that at that point, James returning you alive was a slim chance. And we knew, since the guards were on their way, that if we distracted Victoria and held off on our decision for long enough, that they might arrive before we had to give the required decision, and they would then be able to track down James and destroy him. It was a poor plan, but it was the only one we had. We couldn't give up Bella." Carlisle stopped, face distraught.

Hale swallowed. "You still left me," he said in a weak, wobbling voice. Hale tried to steady it, but it did no good. "You're always leaving me. I'm always the last one you think about. I'm so tired of it! I can't-" Hale broke off on a hiccup. Carlisle tried to comfort him, but Hale roughly pulled away, crying out in pain as he pulled at his wires and jarred his arm. Carlisle tried soothing him again, face concerned and still anguished, before Hale stopped him short.

"Why don't you all just choose Bella, leave me, and get it over with!" Hale sobbed out, both in physical and mental pain. Everything hurt. Wasn't there a drug for this type of thing? Stunned silence followed his statement. Everyone appeared shocked. Hale couldn't care. Bella let out a gasp before he saw Edward drag Bella from the room, his brother and sisters following after in a neat queue.

"Hale, son, please. It's not like that." Carlisle tried to argue, voice and face anguished, hands hovering above and over Hales body as though he didn't know where to put them to help. Esme hovered in the background, her hands wringing.

"You do, dad. And it is like that! I'm always the last one to know anything, I'm always the last one considered in everything! Why can't you all just love me like you love Bella!" The last ended in a crack, and the tears from his pain, the past panic, and the past heartbreak all erupted forth in an even heavier torrent than before that he was as powerless to stop as he was to stop a bloodthirsty vampire.

He allowed Carlisle to pick him up finally and hold him against his chest, rocking him back and forth. Esme sat down as well and began humming a soothing lullaby. Hale found himself falling asleep again. He couldn't stay awake if he tried.

He was just so damn tired.

* * *

><p>When Hale awoke again, it was to a cold hand petting his hair. He opened his eyes to take in his father, who was calmly watching him as he slept. Hale allowed his father to see he was awake, but made no move to tell him to move his hand. It felt very good. Almost like old times, when Carlisle would wake him from a nightmare. Hale missed those days.<p>

After awhile, his father broke the silence by clearing his throat before questioning, "How do you feel? Any soreness?"

Hale tried to shake his head before realizing the neck brace hindered his movements. He let out a quiet 'no'.

"Good, good." Carlisle murmured before stopping the motion. He swallowed before continuing, "Do you really believe all those things you said a little bit ago, Hale? You know they're not true, don't you? We all love you much more than we love Bella. Don't think we don't. Not for one second."

Hale swallowed painfully. "It sure seems like you do."

"How?" His voice was so gentle, so understanding, that Hale just started blurting out everything; all his hopes, his dreams, his hurt feelings, his agony over being the outsider in a family that should have been his own.

"Oh, Hale." Carlisle started when Hale finished, chest strangely light and finally letting it all out. "We do all love you. It's just a little hard for us to show sometimes. With our superior strength, it is so easy to hurt you on accident. We are all just a little afraid of accidentally hurting you."

"Edward tries everyday for Bella. If they all loved me like you said they do, then wouldn't they have tried a little harder, too. They've had years. I just don't understand."

"Sometimes," Carlisle began heavily, "it is very difficult to deviate from a mode or pattern of living and take on something new, especially when so much is at stake, so to speak. They are all waiting until you are turned to truly get to know you better. Then it would have been easier for everyone. It's not an excuse, just a reason. I must admit, however, that the way they have gone about treating you has been unfair and intolerable. We will discuss this when we get home. But, son, please. Don't think it's because we don't love you. We do. All of us. Very, very much."

Hale allowed himself to nod, but only because he was too tired to have this conversation. He allowed Carlisle to hug him but little doubts still niggled at the back of his head. He thought it was a piss-poor reason, as Deric would say, but he didn't want to start anything now.

"We'll work on this, son. We will. And it will get better. I promise you this." Silence followed. Hale suddenly realized that Carlisle hadn't said anything about Victoria.

"What happened with Victoria?" Hale asked tiredly and a little frightened.

"I'm afraid she escaped." Carlisle replied, voice disappointed and heavy. He still cradled Hale close, hand skimming up and down his back in a soothing motion.

"What does that mean for us? Nothing good, right?"

Carlisle swallowed. "As James's mate, Edward believes she will come back for revenge."

"Do you believe that, too?" Hale questioned, his heart beating faster. He believed it. He suddenly remembered her scream. He shivered a little.

"I do, Hale. I do. Unfortunately, the only thing we can do is keep a look out for her."

"Just like with James?" Hale asked. Carlisle didn't respond, only squeezed Hale to him tighter. They both knew how well the plan to avoid James had gone last time.

"We'll have a better plan this time around." Carlisle finally admitted.

"Who was the vampire that picked me up? You know, who rescued me?" Carlisle froze. "Dad?" Hale asked, feeling worried. Carlisle swallowed.

"That was Felix. One of the two Volturi guards who came to help us. It appears as though James has been killing quite a few people around the Seattle area. He was growing to be a problem. What did you think of Felix?"

"I don't know," Hale answered back. "He saved me, but I never talked to him."

"Hmmm." Carlisle hummed, face set into an intense look of concentration.

"Why?" Hale questioned. "Should I know him? Or have an opinion on him?"

"No. Of course not." Carlisle stated back. "I was just curious." Carlisle sighed and looked down at his watch. "I have to go now, but I will be back. I believe they wish to keep you for about a week. We don't want any complications arising." Hale nodded in agreement as Carlisle unwound his arms from around Hale and stood up.

"Be safe," he whispered, before bending down over Hale and kissing his forehead. "I'll be back during breaks to check on you. Esme should be returning in a while, as well. She had to pick up a few things." Hale nodded slowly, suddenly tired again.

He remembered feeling a hand moving his hair in a slight ruffle. He allowed a little burst of hope to explode inside of him. Maybe things would be okay.

Maybe.

* * *

><p>The next time Hale awoke, it was to a happier sight, as he took in the wonderful image of his boyfriend, Deric. Hale let out the first grin since he had been spotted by James. Deric was staring at Hale's hand, which was bruised and pale, hard. His face was contorted with worry as he bit his lip and scrunched up his nose. Hale thought it was adorable.<p>

"Hey," Hale began, gaining his attention.

Deric's head snapped up before a wide grin overtook his face. "You're awake!" He leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the nose, blushing slightly.

"I was so worried when I lost you! That crowd got crazy. There was an explosion or something. They found that guard taking tickets dead, too, so police are thinking both occurrences are somehow related. I can't believe how bad you got trampled, although I think some people must have got hit by cars. There were a couple of people in pretty rough shape. It was complete mayhem, though. No way anyone got out of there not affected in some way." He stopped for a moment before seemingly shaking himself from his thoughts.

"Poor you, though," he continued, face full of sympathy as he soothed Hale's hand. "You've got a nasty bruise sporting your cheek, that's for sure." His face suddenly warped into something hateful. "If I ever find out who hurt you like this I'll kill him. I swear I will." And then, all at once, like a whoosh of air, the expression was gone and replaced by the same face Hale knew so well. He wondered if he even saw it at all or if it was a figment of his imagination. Hale shrugged it off.

"I feel fine, though. I think they've got me on so many drugs that I don't feel a thing!" Hale let out a weak chuckle, echoed by a slightly more realistic laugh from Deric.

"That's one thing, then," Deric added. "I wouldn't want you in any pain."

Hale bit his lip as the familiar pleasure of being with Deric coursed through his body. And quickly, suddenly, in a startling moment of clarity, he realized that Deric would have picked him first, would have thought of him first. Had Deric been in Edward's position, then Hale knew that he would have been number one on Deric's list. What did he need Edward for when he had Deric?

A peaceful smile spread across his face, catching Deric's eye. He grinned in response, "That smile for me?"

Hale blushed, "All my smiles are for you."

Deric's face suddenly became serious, "Good. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Hale smiled again before listening to Deric begin to describe what had all been going on since he had been unconscious. Hale allowed the sound to fill up the room and his heart. He didn't need Edward when he had Deric. What did he truly need when he had Deric?

Nothing. Nothing at all.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello to everybody. This chapter is somewhat early. I tried to get it out fast for those of you who are anxious to keep reading. Thank you so much for the reviews. They're a big reason I've continued, I hope that you continue to let me know how you are liking the story. In response to two reviewers, who questioned whether or not this should be a Harry Potter crossover because there is no magic: if you had waited one more chapter to ask about that then you would have understood. This chapter begins to introduce magic, but it is very minute, and you will have to squint. And it's mostly because this is a slow moving story. I know it is, and for those of you who want things to hurry up. Sorry, but it won't happen. I write slow. I can't be quick and to the point to save my life. I hope, though, that by having things slower the story will appear to be more realistic. (As realistic as vampires and magic can be). I hope I answered questions, although I'm not telling you anything because I like for things to be a surprise. You'll hopefully receive the next chapter by Friday or Saturday. Thank you for reading. Happy Christmas to those of you who celebrate. Enjoy the holidays. And now with the chapter!

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

Hale groaned out in dismay and astonishment. "Twenty-four weeks?" He echoed hollowly to Mr. Peters, his physician.

Mr. Peters nodded, face consolatory. Hale took in Mr. Peter's numerous laugh lines and wrinkles that were etched deeply into his face before fixing on his brown, warm eyes. Mr. Peters gave him another smile before looking down to his clipboard from his seat near his desk, his leg crossed over his other leg casually. Hale took in his grey, receding hair from his hunched position.

Hale tried to remember a time that he had ever been to the hospital without seeing the doctor. He had been his physician forever, which Hale was glad for. He didn't trust anyone else better, besides his own father, to check and clear him with a complete bill of health. Hale looked around the sterile room as Mr. Peters hummed lowly, writing furiously on his clipboard, and admired the numerous posters. The only thing different were all the posters advocating safe sex.

Things sure had changed. He paused to think about whether or not they still handed out suckers after check-ups, or if they had switched to handing out condoms like in college. Maybe it would be a good idea to invest in some soon, though… He abruptly switched off those thoughts, eyes wide, cheeks red as he looked down. Now was not the time.

They were both sitting in a hospital room, having just taken a couple of x-rays to determine the extent of Hale's injuries. It seemed the fibula, the part of Hale's leg he was lucky enough to break, took a long time to heal. Twenty-four weeks long at maximum, to be specific. And not only had James broke his fibula, but his knee bone was cracked a bit, as was his upper thigh, as well. Although, Hale had to add, the thigh was only slightly fractured. Thank goodness for small mercies.

It was still too long and too much for Hale's liking, though. He sighed.

"I know it seems like a long time," Mr. Peters began, voice gentle and deep, and with his face still turned down at his clipboard. That was another thing about Mr. Peters; he always seemed to know what you were thinking. It was sometimes slightly creepy. Hale focused on Mr. Peter's voice, finding the deep, rumbling voice soothing.

"But we have to keep in mind that your leg supports your entire body. If it's not secure, then breakage can occur again, and you'll just be worse off. You were also injured quite extensively. Poor lad." Hale let loose a slight grin.

"Besides," Mr. Peters added, grinning back and looking up, some of his slightly crooked teeth showing below his thin lips under his long nose. "It may actually be healed by ten weeks. Much shorter, that! That arm of yours should only be about six weeks, too."

He quickly stood up and, on his shorter, thicker legs, slightly stamped over to the x-rays still hanging up and illuminated from where he had been pointing out the breakage points to Hale before. He paused before his face went still. The mood turned a bit sobering as he turned to look at Hale sitting on the table, his hands still reaching towards the still x-rays. He lowered his arms back down before moving towards Hale and patting his unbroken leg softly, face serious.

"Could have been a lot worse, Hale. They lost one of those kids. SUV landed right on top of him. Another kid lost a finger. Burned beyond repair."

Hale swallowed, suddenly rather thankful that the damage wasn't worse.

"Just came in on a call. Anyways," Mr. Peter's grumbled out, trying to smile again to break the mood.

"You'll just get to relax now. Schools going to be difficult, but your father and I have already called the school and you'll be getting your assignments at home. I'm afraid at this stage it will be more of a hassle to get to and from school. I imagine that you could use a little break, too." Mr. Peter's added shrewdly.

Hale nodded in agreement. He did feel like he could use a break. And in the condition he was in now, school would be a nightmare.

"I'll send in Nurse Joy to help you to your bed again. I'm thinking that you may have a visitor waiting for you." Mr. Peters winked before helping Hale down and opening the door for the knock Nurse Joy bestowed upon the door.

"Have a good day, Hale. You know if you have any problems I'll be there to help." With that, Mr. Peters exited the room, boots loud on the tiled floor. Hale waved to his back before turning towards Nurse Joy, and giving her his full attention.

She was of average height with short, blond hair that she wore in a short bob. She was slightly on the chubby side, but it only added to her beauty. She had a face that would look all wrong if she were any skinnier. She gave him a sympathetic smile as she and he both looked at the metal contraption they called a wheelchair in silence. Hale's grin disappeared to be replaced by a slightly disgruntled expression.

"It's just down the hall, Hale. Promise." She let loose a sly smile. "I'll try doing another wheelie."

Hale tried to glare but found himself smiling a little. Nurse Joy failed epically at giving wheelchair wheelies. He would know.

Theirs had been an epic failure.

"I think I'll pass." Hale stated firmly, smile fading as he maneuvered himself with his leg cast over to the wheelchair. Nurse Joy knew enough to try and help. She had rebuked the last dozen times. She still lingered in the background, however, ready to help if needed. Hale was thankful for that. It was a bit slow moving, as his chest was still very sore from the scratch James had gifted him and his leg was slightly awkward to move, but slowly, if a little ungracefully, he lowered himself into the wheelchair and they were soon off and down the hall to his room.

He would never admit it, but he was slightly relieved to have the wheelchair. The break in his leg had been bad. Some muscle tendons had been affected. The same could be said for his arm. He was a bit angry that it was his right, as that was the one he wrote with. Quite simply, with all his injuries, he ached. Not to mention the bruising that had slowly started to appear as the days went by from the impact landings he had received after being thrown into two walls when James had captured him.

Apparently this being thrown into walls business caused a lot of damage. Go figure.

Hale glanced up as they stopped at his closed hospital door before Nurse Joy turned the handle to push him inside. He let loose a bright grin as he took in the sight of his boyfriend, Deric, flipping channels on the TV from his position on a nearby chair. He received an answering grin back.

"Hey," Hale began, voice excited. The past week in the hospital had been dead boring. There was nothing good on TV in the afternoon and, with his antibiotics and medications he was taking, reading and staying focused was difficult because he would just fall asleep. He found that the only times he truly enjoyed himself were when Deric came, although his family had been spending much more time with him lately. Deric, though, literally drowned Hale in attention. And Hale, as needy and alone as he was, allowed Deric's love, smiles, and attention to the light up the room while Hale simply laid back and basked in the glow like a weak plant in the shade that was finally receiving the sun.

Hale sometimes thought that Deric was trying to outdo the Cullen's in showing his love, as over the past week Esme and Carlisle had made it their habit to stop by a couple times a day to keep him company. It was difficult with Carlisle working and Esme working on projects, but they managed. Hale thought that his first idea was rather silly. Why would Deric be trying to show his parents up in that department? Hale shook his head. Deric would be all for him reuniting with his family, as he knew how much they still meant to him, even if the feeling didn't seem to be reciprocated by his brothers and sisters, who hadn't really been in to see him.

Hale took pleasure, though, in the visits Carlisle and Esme would grant him. They were doing what Carlisle had promised: starting over and growing stronger. Building bridges and all that.

Hale thought bridges were very good. Very… constructive.

"Hey," Deric answered, stepping forward to help Nurse Joy assist Hale in getting out of the wheelchair and into his bed. Hale snapped out of his thoughts. "How'd the x-rays go?"

"Alright. Mr. Peters said it could be anywhere from ten to twenty-four weeks until my leg is healed. The arm will only be around six. I can handle six, but I don't know about twenty-four. That's a long time to not move." Hale's voice came out slightly disgruntled, but not as much as before.

He knew he could always be dead instead. Compared to that, he'd take the break anyday.

Deric grimaced. "That is a long time. Hopefully it turns out to only be ten weeks. We'll just have to keep you off your feet."

"Which you shall, young man," Nurse Joy suddenly inserted, voice serious although a tiny smile curled around her lips, and her blue eyes sparkled. Hale smiled back. He had almost forgotten she was in the room.

"Of course, Nurse Joy. Wouldn't think of doing anything else."

"Hmph. We'll see about that. Trouble, that's what you are." But Hale knew she was just kidding, as her smile grew bigger and she laughed a little.

"I'll bring in your dinner around six again, if that's okay. You two behave." And with that, Nurse Joy was out and closing the door behind her. Silence followed her departure until Deric cleared his throat.

Hale turned to face Deric again from his regular position of lying down. He was beginning to feel very relaxed. He gave Deric a bit of a dopy grin. He was getting tired again. Damn medication.

"I brought some movies I thought you might like to watch," Deric started, sitting down on the chair situated beside Hale's bed.

Hale perked up, but only slightly. He felt the sandman dragging on his eyelids. "What ones?"

"Well, there's that new horror flick that looked good awhile back. I also have Terminator."

Hale was slightly disappointed but tried very hard to keep his face blank. He hated horror movies with a passion, especially after everything with James. But he wasn't able to tell Deric any of that. He was almost sure he and Deric had talked about movies they liked and disliked. But maybe not. Hale knew Deric really liked horror movies, though. Hale found that weird sometimes, but put it from his mind while he tried to remain positive instead. It was sweet of Deric to bring movies at all. It was sweet of Deric to just come in general. He very well could not have come at all, and left Hale to his boredom. He summoned up a smile.

"Ah, how about Terminator?" It was at least evil of the two. More action and less blood and gore.

Deric looked slightly disappointed for a moment as he scrunched up his nose, eyes slightly narrowed. "Sure. We can watch it."

Hale watched as Deric made his way to the TV before opening the case and inserting the disk. The room reverted back to its silence, and Deric looked anything but excited. Hale began to feel both anxious and bad.

"If you really want to watch that horror flick we can." Hale's voice came out quietly, subdued by guilt. Really, Deric was so good to him. He could just suck it up and take the movie if it made Deric happy. He so wanted to make Deric happy.

He was rewarded for his deed when Deric suddenly perked up and, with distinctly more energy than before, grabbed the other movie and inserted it into the TV.

"Thanks , Hale. I'm sure you'll like it. I heard from one of my buddies whose never scared during movies that this one almost made him wet himself. Such a loser, sometimes." He let loose a laugh.

Hale smiled weakly, although Deric didn't seem to notice. He could be like that sometimes, Hale thought; unaware of how degrading he could be towards his friends. Maybe Deric was just kidding, though. How was Hale to know for sure? He had never had any true friends. He couldn't say how regular friends interacted with one another.

Hale's smile gained solidity, however, as Deric reached over and grabbed Hale's hand before giving him a heart-melting smile. Hale sighed loudly and settled back to watch the clip. Relationships were about compromise. He could do this. He could keep this relationship rolling.

He had to. He needed Deric after all.

* * *

><p>Hale wanted to go home.<p>

The rest of the week passed slowly. Hale was required to spend one more week in the hospital to make sure no further complications arose. When asked why, Carlisle had told him that they were a bit on edge about his head, which had also received a fair bit of abuse. The fact that Hale's sight began to blur during certain times also added to the worry.

Also, though Hale didn't want to admit it, the past week had been filled with nightmare induced insomnia, which Hale tried not to blame on Deric's horror flick they watched, or the ones that followed. But no matter how many times he told himself it wasn't that, he would dream of the same man in the movie, and slowly, through his dream, visualize that same man coming after him. And slowly, agonizingly, the man would morph into James's demonic form and it would be Hale being hunted and massacred. He shivered. He was tired of waking up to red eyes watching him. He didn't know why they had such an effect on him.

He just wanted to go home.

It was with great relief, then, when Carlisle finally knocked softly on his hospital door before opening it and peeking his face around. At seeing Hale awake, Carlisle released a great smile before entering the room and closing the door behind him.

"How are you feeling? I suppose you are about ready to start climbing the walls in here?" Carlisle joked.

Hale smiled back, glad to see his father. Things had been getting steadily better. The little flicker of hope in his chest had turned into a small fire. It made him feel warm inside.

"I would have already if I could climb. But the leg and arm hamper things a bit."

Carlisle let loose a gentle, surprised, and radiant laugh, before moving closer to the bed and sitting down. He pulled Hale into his arms before burying his own face into Hale's hair. Hale slowly felt the residing tension fade from his body as they sat like that for a few minutes. Carlisle ended it by raising his head.

"I've got you discharged. We can head home now. I'll go bring in the wheelchair. Make sure that you have everything."

Hale nodded in acknowledgement and allowed himself to be helped off the bed by Carlisle, who then quickly turned around towards the door to grab his wheelchair while Hale skimmed the room for missing items.

The next few moments were filled with goodbyes and teasing smiles from Nurse Joy, whose waving arm was the last thing Hale saw before the glass doors closed behind them. The wheelchair's wheels and Carlisle's footsteps made light crunching sounds in the snow covered parking lot as they made their way through towards Carlisle's car.

Hale was pleased Carlisle had brought him his coat and gloves as the air was slightly chilly, and the sky overcast. It almost looked like it was getting ready to snow again. He was slightly surprised to see Emmett's jeep waiting for them rather than Carlisle's black Pontiac. He turned questioning eyes upward as he twisted around to face Carlisle behind him. Carlisle smiled down at him in response.

"I know how much you like the jeep. And, well, the snow is a bit deeper nearer to the house. Much easier all around with the jeep."

Hale turned around and lowered his eyes to his green covered gloves. A small, pleased smile graced his lips. Carlisle stopped the wheelchair before the passenger side door before helping Hale stand up and step up into the jeep. Carlisle did most of the maneuvering, though. And lifting. Hale let light laughter bubble loose as he glanced around the jeep after Carlisle had closed the door and walked towards the back to put away the wheelchair. Hale couldn't remember the last time he had been the only one in the jeep, let alone in the front seat. Carlisle's door opened before he stepped inside as well.

Carlisle started the jeep and the rest of the drive was spent in silence. Hale let out small laughs as he was bounced along with the jeep, feeling light. He would later blame it on the medication. Carlisle smiled along; glancing at him from time to time to make sure he was doing alright. Hale had to admit it probably was the medications making him feel a bit loopy. Honestly, a sixteen year old like himself giggling… It was totally the medication.

"Esme's anxious to have you home." Carlisle broke the silence.

Hale swallowed, grin mellowing into a gentle smile.

"I'm anxious to be home." Carlisle smiled before lighting squeezing his arm. They gradually slowed and turned into their driveway, before Carlisle stopped and waited for the garage door to open before unhurriedly driving ahead. In a second, Carlisle's door was closed and he was opening Hale's. He slipped one arm around Hale's back and allowed his other arm to grasp Hale under his legs. In the next moment they were in the house and Hale was being lowered gently and with great care onto their white leather couch.

"Thanks, dad," Hale murmured, taking off his gloves and jacket before pulling at a red blanket resting at the end of the couch. He turned around to find that Esme had placed a pillow behind him for him to lie on. Hale could feel his heart bursting.

"Hellow, sweatheart." She smiled and smoothed his hair. "Do you need anything else? I have some soup on the stove." Esme asked, a wide smile across her perfect, heart shaped face. Carlisle moved past after ruffling Hale's hair. He had some more work to do upstairs, which he had held off doing while Hale was in the hospital.

Hale grinned at Carlisle happily before turning back to Esme.

"Soup sounds great, please." Hale couldn't help the happiness swimming around in his chest. Them three together; it was just like it used to.

Esme nodded and smiled gently before walking back into the kitchen. Hale heard cupboards opening and closing as he leaned back onto the pillow. He felt a little sleepy.

Esme came out to a sleeping son. She noticed he was smiling as she lightly kissed his forhead.

* * *

><p>When Hale next woke, it was to the muted TV and a bluish light from the TV playing across his figure where he was laid out on the couch. He felt drowsy and lazy. The sky outside the window was dark. He paused slightly to wonder how long he had been asleep before putting it out of his mind. He felt warm and comfortable as he glanced toward the playing TV. He couldn't recognize the movie or show, but it looked like a documentary of some sort.<p>

For awhile, he allowed his mind to be transfixed by the wonders of ancient Egypt before waking up a bit more to wonder who had been watching the documentary before he had woken up.

His scanning eyes caught the still figure of Edward walking into the living room from the kitchen. He was holding a tall glass of water, which Hale was just about to ask for. His mouth felt very dry. Edward gave out a small, hesitant smile as he walked toward Hale before pausing and handing him the glass along with two small pills.

Hale's face scrunched up in disgust. He hated swallowing pills. He slowly rose himself up into a sitting position, his leg awkward in front of him. He gave a small, greeting smile back to Edward before reaching for both. An awkward silence fell on the two as Hale swallowed his medication and the rest of the water.

"Need anymore? Carlisle said you may be very thirsty." Edward asked quietly.

Hale nodded in response before handing back the glass. His hands fiddled with the blanket as he listened to Edward walk back into the kitchen and turn the faucet on and off. He didn't know what to say to Edward. He hadn't seen any of his brothers and sisters since he had first woke up in the hospital. He wasn't really looking forward to discussing anything with them now that he thought about it.

"Here you are." Hale was suddenly spurred from his thoughts as Edward's pale, perfect hand held out a glass of water towards his face. Hale bit his lip before reaching for it with his left hand.

"Thanks." He mumbled, before drinking. The low hum of the TV was the only noise in the room. Hale finished his glass before glancing around the living room. Edward was still standing in front of him.

"Um, where are mom and dad?" Hale questioned tentatively, a little tense at being alone with Edward.

Edward cleared his throat in response, to which Hale glanced up and was slightly shocked to see Edward's saddened face.

"Did something happen to mom and dad? What's wrong?" Hale blurted forth, worried.

"No, no. Nothing like that. I just think we need to… talk. Carlisle had to run in for an emergency and Esme had to run to the grocery store. Everyone else is out hunting."

Hale's throat suddenly went dry again. "Oh, okay. What did you want to talk about, then?" He croaked out, suddenly very confused and anxious, although slightly relieved that everyone was okay.

Edward gave him a long look before sighing heavily. The quiet of the room made the sound much more noticeable. Hale's chest felt tight.

"I think you know what, for lack of a better term to use to reference this… situation. And before you ask, neither Carlisle nor Esme put me up to this. I've always thought this was something we needed to discuss. You need to understand just why things have been the way they are for as long as you can remember. Why we've always been so… distant."

Despite the situation, Hale found himself listening with guarded interest. The question he had agonized about throughout his whole life. The question that kept him up at night sometimes, exhausted and tired from just _trying_. His left hand closed into a fist riddled with tension on his lap. "Oh?"

Edward nodded before turning around and pulling over a foot stool to sit on, perhaps finally realizing the great height difference between Edward's standing position and Hale's placement. Hale found himself facing a much closer Edward and his heart began to jog about in his chest. Edward gave him a quick look, as though he heard it, before looking back down to his hands, which he crossed with his fingers.

"Yes. I think you are under a… misinterpretation. Although, God knows, that misinterpretation is completely understandable and in no way your fault. We haven't handled things well in the past. We have no one to blame but ourselves. I have to make it clear. What you said in the hospital, as much as you may believe it to be true, cannot, in any way possible, be any farther from the actual truth. We care about you, Hale. Everything we did, we did out of concern for you. For you."

Hale felt his eyes widen and his mouth drop open a little bit in shock, and, though he was aware of his movements in the back of his head, couldn't seem to arrange or control his body differently. He was riveted on the words pouring out of Edward's perfect mouth.

"First off, I know for certain that you hardly remember your childhood." Edward continued before he glanced up at Hale for his confirmation to this fact. Hale nodded, a little dumbfounded. He never talked about his childhood with anyone because of the fact that he could remember almost none of it.

Edward swallowed, which also struck Hale as odd. Carlisle used many human movements, but Edward usually didn't. Edward's next sentence, however, shocked Hale from his thoughts.

"The reason you can't remember anything is because of us; the family."

Silence sounded throughout the room. A weird buzzing began in Hale's ears.

"What?" Hale finally gasped out, left arm stretching around his stomach as he leaned forward slightly. "What do you mean, your fault?"

Edward didn't look at him. Minutes passed before Edward glanced to his right side, towards the TV. Hale was once again overcome to behold Edward's anguished face.

"Edward…?" Hale whispered, hurting himself.

Edward looked to him before looking away again quickly. The next moment, Hale was staring at Edward's back as Edward himself looked out of their living room window into the forest beyond, a few feet away from Hale's position on the couch.

"We've always loved you, Hale." Edward finally choked out. "From the very first day Esme found you. You're not aware of how we found you because the truth of the matter is, you were literally given to us. Call it an act of kindness on God's part, as that is what it seemed to be to us at the time. Still is." Here he gave Hale a small smile, eyes absent.

"We were vacationing in England," Edward continued, turning back around again. "Carlisle, Esme, and I. Alice and Jasper were in Alaska with the Denali clan, and Emmett and Rosalie were shopping near New York. We had needed a break, and rather than go off on my own alone somewhere, I accompanied Carlisle and Esme. We decided on an area called Surrey. It was beautiful, although a bit rainy. Just the way we like it." Edward's voice ended on a sarcastic note before he sighed again.

"Carlisle, Esme, and I were walking down a main street. A play had just ended a couple of blocks over and we were making our way back to the hotel we were staying at. Along the way, from a great distance really, we heard a person running. We turned the corner and from down the street we witnessed a woman running towards us with a small, shaped bundle trapped in her arms. It was a child, as we could tell from the tiny fluttering heartbeat. Carlisle calmly stopped and was prepared to ask the woman if she needed assistance." Edward stopped, before resting his cold hand on the window in front of him. Not a print was left as Edward dragged it down the glass slowly, lost in memories.

Memories Hale wished he could see.

"Her thoughts," Edward started a bit angrily and on a growl, which perplexed and surprised Hale, who had not heard that tone very often. "Were rather… vile and selfish."

"She was also very hysterical, and her mind jumped around. She was also very frightened and licentious. She knew exactly what she was doing, yet all she could think about was that she had to give the baby to someone, anyone. At that point, she was prepared to just lay the babe anywhere. And that's what she did. She just gave you to Esme. I guess you can say she sort of shoved the baby into her arms, though. She muttered something along the lines of 'I'll not have his kind in my house. You keep him. I'm done'. The exact wording is lost to me now, however."

Hale didn't know what to feel. His emotions were all jumbled up into his chest. Shock and distress were at the forefront, however. That he knew. He had never heard about how he was found before, or how he became part of the Cullen family. He thought he had, but now that he remembered back, he couldn't remember what was said about the subject. He looked down to his blanket and swallowed heavily as Edward continued, voice suddenly gentle and soft from his position near the window.

"And so, a little too surprised to speak, we watched the woman run and turned to look at the bundle. Esme slowly removed the blanket over the top and, low and behold, there you were. All twenty perfect inches of you. Ten fingers, ten toes, and the brightest green eyes we had ever seen. Esme loved you on sight, you had Carlisle wrapped around your little pinkie at your first smile and me: I loved you since you turned your bright, green eyes on me and let loose you first innocent smile. What else could we do? We took you home. There was no returning you; there was no letting you go. You were ours."

Here Edward turned around and smiled at Hale. Hale was taken aback to see such a smile grace Edward's lips. He looked sad but happy about the incident at the same time.

"Rosalie wasn't hard to persuade. The moment she found out that Carlisle was allowing a human baby to stay with the family she was out buying baby clothes with Alice. Emmett thought you were the oddest thing he had ever seen." Edward let out a large, short laugh.

"He mostly thought you were interesting, but you grew on him. It was Jasper, however, that surprised us all. The moment you came into the room upon arriving home, he loved you on sight. He would stare at you for hours as you slept. Your drew him in in a way none of us could understand. He had never seen something as perfectly innocent and alive as you. He would count your fingers just in case, sometimes. If ever there was anything wrong with you, he would become the most anxious over it. You could do no wrong in his eyes."

Edward grinned and shook his head slowly, as though still amazed by the fact. "We named you Hale, as the blanket you were wrapped up in was so dirty and threadbare by that point that the writing on the corner only allowed us to read the first two letters. An 'H' and an 'A'. We thought the middle initial might have been a 'J', and the last letter a 'P', but we couldn't be sure. So we named you Hale Jaden Cullen."

Edward stopped and, as Hale watched, Edward slowly pinched his lips together tightly.

"We had eight years with you. Eight wonderful years. It was the day after your eight birthday, actually, that everything happened. You were playing soccer in the house, as it was too cold outside, and we could never deny you anything. It happened in an instant. After years of being so careful, our luck had just run out. You tripped and, in what seems now to be slow motion, hit your little head quite hard on Esme's glass table. And horribly, the wound began to lightly bleed. The result was instantaneous. Jasper, whose never had the best of control anyways, even around you, was up and at you. Emmett and Carlisle quickly leapt up to interfere, but it was pure pandemonium. No one knew who was going after you or who was protecting you and, in the conflict, you…were…flung. Quite hard."

Edward stopped and seemed to struggle with himself. The voice that came out was chocked and twisted beyond repair. Hale hugged himself tighter, eyes wide and staring at Edward.

"The crunch as you hit the side wall was deafening. All but Carlisle, Esme, and myself quickly left, dragging along Jasper. Your head… your poor little head." Edward dragged in a breath.

"It was bashed in and cracked quite severely. We thought we had broken your neck. It not for your heartbeat, we thought you would have been dead as you were not moving. But your poor, little heartbeat was weak and thrumming about like an erratic hummingbird. We rushed you to the hospital. They worked on you for hours. That's the first and only time I've ever seen Carlisle unable to aid his medical expertise to a situation. He was far too shook up. He didn't move from his position near the surgery door for hours. The whole family was horrorstruck and pained by the occurrence. Pained beyond words."

"We knew the outcome would be poor. There was simply no way you could have made it through such an event without sustaining any sort of repercussions. You were placed on twenty-four hour surveillance, and we all camped out in the waiting room of the hospital that night to wait it out. No one thought you would even make it. It was then, to our great shock, that a Nurse came running in around three that very morning, shouting about a miracle. You were up; you were awake, and you were hungry. It was like… like magic."

Edward laughed, but it was ringed with grief and hollow. "You were awake! You cannot imagine our relief; relief so profound that we were left shaken. The only problem was that, while you remembered us, you couldn't recall specific memories. You just knew that you had five brothers and sisters and a mother and a father. You had basic school knowledge and could read, but memories… those were all gone."

Edward's face scrunched up before he shook his head sharply. "At first we thought it a good thing. We could start over. If you had no memory of the event, then we could learn from it and leave you relatively unhurt. But then Jasper, conservative and realistic Jasper, questioned how long it would be until he would mess up again, until anyone of us would mess up. We had been lucky those first eight years and now, by something as simple as running about the house, you were hurt. And then we thought about it. What if, by simply holding your hand, one of us pressed our finger down too hard and it went through your tiny, little, fragile hand. Or, what if, you received a bloody nose? You had had them, but we had always caught them in time. Now, every little thing you did was laden down with worry."

Here Edward finally turned back around to face Hale, his own expression strained and eyes glittering. "That's where everything started. We decided that… enough was enough, so to speak. Nothing was worth the risk of hurting you, even if a little. So, as selfish as we are, we did the only thing we could do while still keeping you with us: we distanced ourselves. At first, you didn't really seem bothered, but as time went on, you noticed but did not say anything. We thought you were fine. And if you weren't, we simply told ourselves that as soon as you were changed we would get to know you. Be able to show you how much we love you. Alas, things don't always turn out the way we want. In fact, it appears they rarely do."

Hale licked his lips. "So, you're saying all this… distance started when I was eight; because Jasper lost control and attacked me?"

Edward nodded, eyes and face full of sorrow. "And to tell you why the family is the way it is. Some things are far too… precious to risk."

Hale breathed out heavily through his nose, eyes tearing up and heart peculiarly heavy and achy in his chest. "Why couldn't we have talked?" He tried to begin. "We could have at least been somewhat familiar with each other."

Edward looked ashamed. "Because we are selfish creatures, Hale. And we are lazy. After having everything in our lives be so easy, working towards any sort of goal, especially in regards to being with you without hurting you was just too… difficult. It's not an excuse. In fact, it is a meager reason. And for that, we are all sorry."

Hale looked down to his lap, eyes glassy and blurry. "You still picked Bella over me." He finally let loose. "How do you explain that? I mean, I know she's your girlfriend, but if-if you loved me as much as you say you do, why didn't you pick me?"

Edward swallowed. "Because we knew James wouldn't have given you back to us regardless. Everyone knew this. And-" Edward shut his eyes tightly, as though he wished he was somewhere else. "She's my mate, Hale. I love her."

"More than me?" Hale whispered out, voice uneven. He wished he hadn't asked.

Edward looked away. "She's my mate, Hale. My _only."_

Hale felt his hands shake. "What about the rest of the family? Would they pick me?"

"Everytime." Edward answered assuredly and distinctly. "It would always be you Hale, when compared next to Bella."

Hale felt a light hope burst to life in his chest. "Yeah?" Hale whispered out questioningly, voice still choked.

"Yeah." Edward answered back, voice choked, as well. "I wish I could too, Hale. Don't think I don't. But- she's mine."

Hale nodded slowly, suddenly comprehending events on a whole new level. "But we're going to work on things, right? That's what dad said. That things will… get better."

"Yes, Hale. Things are going to get better."

Hale nodded. But it sounded like a lie. Suddenly, Edward's nostrils flared and he whipped his head towards the driveway.

"What is it?" Hale questioned, voice careful. His eyes felt sore.

Edward glanced back towards Hale. His position was tense. He looked as though he was considering whether or not to answer for a moment before thinking again and remembering his promise to try to help things get better. Hale's soft 'please' might have done the trick, though.

"Carlisle's back, but he has company."

"Company?"

"Yes. I think it might be better to have you upstairs, though."

"Absurdite. A beautiful man such as himself would be delightful to have around for stimulating conversation and company during this discussion. I feel he will be the only thing able to help make this situation less… douloureuse. Don't make him leave on my account. I would be very displeased."

Hale swallowed, and eyes wide, as he slowly turned his head away from Edward towards the kitchen where the garage door was located. He let out a frightened gasp as he took in the gargantuan figure silhouetted against the kitchen entrance. Standing at around 6'7" or so, with a shoulder span bigger than Emmett's, the unknown vampire easily and lazily glanced around the living room before pinning his red, glowing eyes on Hale.

Hale froze in terror, his breath stuttering and shaking in his chest. Without even acknowledging his own movements, his body started to prepare to move away; away from the eyes, the eyes that reminded him of James, before the most curious thing occurred.

The vampire winked at Hale, and the wink was so… playful, so easy going, so flirtatious, that Hale let loose a stunned laugh before his tension seeped out of his pores and he sat there grinning towards the vampire, bemused.

"None of that, beau. I'm more likely to save you from certain doom. Ruining one piece of that rat's nest you've got for hair on top of your head would be un peche." He let loose a charming grin, which looked both sophisticated and lecherous at once on his cultivated face. Hale let loose another small laugh, feeling oddly calm and light.

"Now that's what I like to hear. Name's Felix, beaul. Been waiting awhile to meet you. Have to say, meeting you is better than I imagined it would be. Vous êtes plus beau que tous les mots et je suis heureux. Tu es à moi."


	6. Chapter 6

Happy Christmas, everyone. Thank you again for all the reviews. If you feel nice, please keep them coming. They really help me continue with the story. Tell me what you think. This is probably one of the last, slower chapters for awhile. Now things are picking up again, and we're really starting to get going. I hope you enjoy. I really tried to get this out in time for Christmas. Hope everything goes well, and I hope you all had a Happy Christmas. Enjoy. Oh! Thank you so much for the advice regarding French. I have to admit, sadly, that I can't speak that beautiful language fluently, or very well at all, and rely on google translate for help. I'm sorry it's not correct, but I really appreciate people telling me if I put something wrong. Thank you all again.

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><p>Chapter 6<p>

For awhile Hale gaped at him, quite speechless. He quietly took in the vampire's large figure. He unexpectedly found himself admiring the strong, slightly square jaw and the vampire's cropped, dark brown hair, which hung in different layers around his head, before flaring out near his ears. Hale felt his heart stutter. Without realizing it, he found himself staring at his defined arm muscles, which Hale was sure he couldn't wrape both hands around and be able to touch his fingers. There would be a gap for sure. He looked to be around twenty-two, and wasn't fat, or even really what one would call large. But simply tall. Very tall. And built… very well. Hale glanced at the muscular arms again before biting his lip and looking down. He had a boyfriend.

And yet... Hale could almost imagine his strong, defined, perfect chest under his dark green long-sleeved shirt he wore. He bet he would have a six pack, at least. Even his light olive complexion worked well with his pale skin that all vampires seemed to acquire upon transforming. Hale thought, sappily enough, that it made him glow, especially with the light from the kitchen surrounding his figure. Hale didn't know how to respond and his thoughts, which had been spinning and rampant after seeing him, were chaotic. He had a boyfriend! He looked down to his folded hands before peaking back at the vampire. He received another wink and grin. So Hale blushed.

Quite badly.

Felix let out a light laugh, head thrown back. "He's charmant, Carlisle. Quite merveilleux."

Hale blushed further at those words, getting the general idea of what he was saying and finding that the words pleased him. Felix turned his head around to look at Carlisle, hands carelessly resting in his pockets. He appeared both relaxed and in control. Carlisle didn't respond to his statement as he walked past Felix and into the living room, face stoic. Carlisle flipped on the living room light, illuminating the room in the lamp's golden rays, before grabbing the remote control from a side end table and turning off the TV. He then stopped in front of Hale, face still expressionless and slightly harried for a minute as he appraised Hale, before seemingly controlling his features and giving Hale a light smile. He then turned back towards Felix, though Hale didn't miss the fact that he turned and stood in front of Hale while speaking to him.

Hale thought it was all very odd. And he was pretty sure Carlisle didn't smile like that.

"Please be welcome in our home, Felix. This is my son Hale. Hale, this is Felix. He was the one who carried you back after our _dispute_ with James. He's part of the Volturi, and is an old... friend." Hale glanced up apprehensively at Carlisle from his sitting position on the couch, noting that Carlisle's voice sounded cagey and stilted, before glancing back over towards Felix.

Hale bit his lip in worry as he glanced at the vampire from the corner of his eye. Hale made sure to have some of his hair to flip forward and cover his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he had ever seen his father so angry and uncomfortable, and it made him wonder what it was that Felix had done to upset him so. He thought it might be because Felix was a part of the Volturi, but even Carlisle didn't show disrespect towards the Volturi when discussing them. Carlisle wasn't one to show disrespect towards anyone at all. Hale continued to look at Felix, as though he held all the answers to a puzzle he desperately needed to finish.

He didn't have all the pieces, though.

Felix noticed and gave him a light smile, which appeared genuine, before winking again and following Carlisle into the living room. Hale noticed that he had a very casual walk, which was slightly lazy but very… sexy. Hale's eyes went wide before he quickly glanced down to his lap. Now was not the time for those types of thoughts. Honestly? What was wrong with him? Boyfriend! Who he loved! Er, cared about very strongly.

Hale was abruptly shaken from his thoughts as Carlisle sat down stiffly beside Hale on the couch. Hale glanced towards the silent Edward only to see he had not moved from his position near the window, or from his crouch. Hale felt the plot thicken, and glanced at Felix again before glancing over to Carlisle, who he saw gave Edward a short nod, to which Edward gave one back. One that appeared to be much more stern. What was going on?

"Please sit down and make yourself at home, Felix. My wife, sons, and daughters should be along shortly."

Edward let loose a growl, and Hale glanced over to notice that he appeared more disturbed than normal. He was glaring sharply at Felix.

"Hey, now." Felix began, voice musical and deep. He appeared to be trying to keep the peace, as a small, innocent grin graced his face, and his hands were held up in front of him in a peaceful gesture. Hale felt a shiver run up his spine, but it was, oddly enough, a good feeling; like a shiver one receives from a hot shower early in the morning after a cold night. He relaxed further into the couch. Carlisle glanced at him quickly before turning around. Edward let loose another growl.

"I think it best if Hale did go upstairs." Edward stated, face emotionless and empty as he continued to glare at Felix. Hale quickly took notice again and swallowed before straightening. He had never seen Edward behave this way before. Hale, however, wanted to argue. He wanted to know what was going on, and why Felix was here.

A tense silence followed Edward's statement. Carlisle appeared to watch Felix closely, as though waiting for a sign. Felix, for the most part, still appeared flirtatious and calm, but his chin was set quite tightly and he and Edward were staring at each other quite tempestuously. Hale was a bit afraid for Edward. He knew he was strong, but Felix was _huge._ Bigger than Emmett huge. He thought any fight between the two would be quite disastrous. Carlisle appeared to follow the same line of thought as he positioned himself more fully in front of Hale as the two vampires appeared to have a silent face off. Hale found himself strangely worried for Felix. He didn't want him hurt.

Felix raised his chin higher, and his long, perfect, _delicious_, neck, rather than appearing similar to a submission a wolf would give to its alpha, appeared instead like a challenge. Hale covered his eyes with his hands, completely embarrassed. What was wrong with him today? Delicious? He glanced up again. It must have been a challenge, his neck, though, as Edward let loose another growl, before crouching lower.

"Edward." Carlisle stated with authority. Edward looked back towards him, eyes black and ferocious. Hale shivered and looked down, feeling quite cold. "That's enough. Felix is our guest. We will treat him as such. He means no harm and he has come to help us during a time when we need him quite badly."

Edward let loose another snarl before straightening out and stepping back, although it appeared as though he desperately didn't wish to. His hands were curled into tight fists at his sides. Felix, for his part, didn't appear to smile or gloat, but was pleased nonetheless.

Hale didn't know how he knew that.

"Thank you, Edward. Felix, would you please sit down?" Carlisle continued. Felix's face smoothed out into a more serious demeanor as he nodded and sat down as askled. Hale watched as he crossed his right leg over his left casually, ankle resting on his knee. His legs were really long... Hale abruptly moved his eyes away and toward Edward to see he was glaring at Carlisle now from his position over by the window. Carlisle gave him a dark look back before placing his right hand around the back of Hale's neck in a secure, comforting hold. Hale watched in curiosity as Felix seemed to freeze. Edward smirked, eyes lightening.

Suddenly, all three vampires seemed to perk up at some sound, and they all looked back towards the kitchen door, which opened to reveal Esme, closely followed by Jasper, who quickly walked around her and towards Hale and Carlisle. Hale was taken aback to see Jasper's savage look. He stopped suddenly in front of Carlisle and Hale and, for the first time, Hale noticed just how close Jasper always seemed to be to him, or appeared to stand by him. It was rather comforting. Felix continued to sit quietly, as though frozen. He wore a lightly frown and his red eyes were slightly closed. He almost appeared to be a bit miffed about something. Edward continued to smirk, while Jasper shifted in place, clearly uncomfortable about something. _What was_ _going on?_

Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Esme all piled into the room after Jasper, nodding towards Felix in welcome as they filed in. Rosalie and Emmett took positions near the doorway of the kitchen, while Esme came over to stand behind Carlisle and Hale. She rested one white, petite hand on Carlisle's shoulder in silent support.

"The wolves are coming as well." Alice added, voice oddly serious as she passed by them all to stand beside Jasper, who put his arm around her and placed his hand on her hip. Hale continued to feel very confused and lost. The wolves? He really wished someone would tell him what was going on.

"Dad?" Hale whispered, turning questioning eyes towards him. Carlisle's hand tightened a bit in warning, but not in a hurtful way. Hale understood the silent message. Everything would be explained later.

As one group, all the vampires looked towards the front door this time. The doorbell lightly 'dinged' and it was Emmett who made his way towards the door in silence. Hale felt eyes on him and turned to view Felix, who was steadily watching him, eyes almost soft before Hale blushed in response and looked towards the door, which Emmet opened to reveal four young men from the local reservation; the Quileute tribe. They each nodded to Emmett in stoic silence as they passed the house's threshold and entered the house. The door slowly closed behind them, and a tense silence began to grow. Hale noticed that their noses were scrunched up as though they smelled something disgusting. He felt a bit offended for his family.

Hale turned his eyes back to Felix, who was, himself, still watching Hale. Hale blushed and looked down again, before looking up to watch Felix again. Felix caught his eyes and they stared at one another in silence for what seemed moments. He wondered how he ever thought Felix was frightening, because from what he could see now, Hale knew, without any doubt, that Felix would never hurt him. Hale's gaze was unanticipatedly broken away by Felix's ruby eyes by the four young men who stood in a huddle near the window, looking trapped and uncomfortable.

Carlisle gave Hale one last, light squeeze around the neck before standing up, although he remainded standing in front of Hale, and blocking his view.

"Good evening," He began, smiling lightly in welcome. "Thank you for coming. I think quick introductions are in order. I am Carlisle, this is my wife, Esme. My sons, Hale, Jasper, Edward, and Emmett, and my two daughters, Rosalie and Alice."

"Where's Bella?" One of the men broke in. Hale eyed him quietly, wondering why he cared about Bella as he eyed his dirty, ripped jeans, and plaid, long-sleeved shirt, which was rolled up on the sleeves. He had dark,short hair and an angular face with a strong jaw. His eyes were a dark brown, and he appeared angry and disgruntled, as his jaw was lightly clenched and arms crossed. The man on his right lightly elbowed him in the side in warning.

"Please, forgive Jacob." The leader of the group stated as the mentioned Jacob scowled harshly and huffed before drilling the floor with his glare. Edward growled in the background. The man ignored both actions, however, and continued. "My name is Sam Uley. This is Jacob Black. There is also Jared Cameron, my beta, and Paul Lahote, my third in command."

Hale's eyes settled on each of them in turn. They were wolves? Why give themselves wolf positions? Beta? He eyed them again with more interest. Sam appeared to have black, chopped hair as well, although his face was rounder and his nose crooked. He was roughly the same height as Jacob, who continued to scowl. Jared had the customary black hair and brown eyes, although his face was much longer, and his nose wider. Paul appeared to be all angles, with a skinny, muscular body. They all stood in their ripped jeans and plain, white t-shirts, minus Jacob. They were also all very tall.

"Pleasure. Our company today is Felix, who is part of the Volturi. He's here to help with Victoria. Thank you for calling and making us aware of the situation."

"It was no problem," Sam began, shuffling his feet before crossing his arms like Jacob. "Like I said, all three of them have been running about for a couple of weeks, making a nuisance out of themselves. But now there are more, and we aren't quite sure what to do about the situation. By the way- how are you, Hale? One of our packmates said that he had found you out during a storm. He was a little worried he had scared you beyond reason. It makes sense now, though. He only growled at you because he smelt vampire on you. He had been tracking one of the vampires. It had been on your trail that night."

Hale felt all eyes rest on him. He lowered his eyes down to his lap again, severely uncomfortable and a little shocked that another vampire had been stalking him. He wondered how close they had gotten before pulling himself together. He looked up to see Felix's hands curled into tight fists, and face hard. It was quite different from his usual calm attitude, and Hale felt his curiosity build. For some reason, it made him feel warm that Felix appeared... worried over the situation. He swallowed before looking down. "I'm find. Tell, er, whoever it was thanks for me. Please." What was he talking about? Hale was so lost. He knew his eyes were wide on his face.

Sam coughed, uncomfortable at the tense silence, before smiling a little in thanks. "Sure will. His name was Quil. Nice guy. He'll be glad to know you're okay."

Hale nodded in response before Carlisle interrupted the conversation by coughing lightly. Sam looked back towards him in concentration.

"Can you tell us what you all know, specifically more for Felix and Hale, who have yet to be informed as to the situation." Felix nodded at that in agreement; face serious and straight as he regarded the four men with red eyes. Hale was still confused as to who were the wolves, and how these four men would stop Victoria. But he felt proud that he was becoming involved in the situation. A light smile graced his face and he felt a glow grow deep in his stomach. But the situation sounded bad. It sounded like Victoria was back with _more _vampires? He swallowed, suddenly realizing the full implications of the situation and the glow disappeared. Hale looked up as Sam continued to talk.

Sam nodded in agreement and started to explain. "Well. We're wolves. It's a lost story, and has to deal with an old legend and cold ones, or vampires, but essentially, when the tribe is facing danger, some sort of genes in our body allow us to change into wolves. A couple weeks ago, right around the time Hale got lost and Quil found him, we started to notice the presence of some vampires, which triggers these genes. They stayed in the area, as I'm sure you know, until they completely disappeared altogether. I'm assuming that's around the time Hale was… kidnapped. Um, anyways, we thought that was the end of it, until we noticed the scent was back and stronger than before. And then we noticed the footprints and spotted a couple. It all came together after that."

Hale was shocked. They could turn into wolves. The wolf he saw was an actual _person!_ What-

"Yeah, those fucking leeches were back, and now they're killing people. And if you hadn't been here and if you had left Bella _be_! And-"

"That's enough, Jacob!" Sam abruptly broke him off as he growled at him angrily, face thunderous. Jacob angrily looked away, face contorted in wrath. He was lightly shaking as he turned away from Sam. Tense silence clogged the air. Felix, from his sitting position, now appeared to be ready to spring from his position, as was Jasper, who had removed his arm from around Alice and looked ready to leap into a war.

"We're here to discuss this Victoria vampire, because she's causing major problems. The longer it takes to discuss this the more likely it is that people are going to die! There are large numbers now, Carlisle, large, large numbers of vampires." Sam continued, voice raised and loud. His face was very serious and angry as he glanced back and forth between Jacob and Carlisle.

"I am aware, yes, unfortunately. What makes matters worse is that we are not sure how many they are changing and how many they are using for sustenance." Carlisle sighed heavily, and when he continued, his voice was tight. "It's getting bad. Felix, what do the Volturi think about this? Are they prepared to send anyone to help?"

Felix slowly sat back in his seat, contemplating Carlisle's question. Hale himself glanced over to watch him as well. "I don't believe they will. Not until the situation becomes dire enough. We both know how the Volturi views this family." Felix and Carlisle shared a long look, before Felix glanced over to Hale, who quickly looked down and back to Carlisle, as he nodded to Felix's words. Hale felt somewhat disappointed, as though Felix should have been able to make the Volturi help. He didn't know why he felt that way.

"The only thing left to do then is to keep an eye on them, and protect the town." Carlisle began heavily, nodding towards Alice, who nodded back, eyes wide on her small, pixie-like face.

"I haven't seen anything, although I know they are planning something. Something big." Alice stated anxiously.

Sam nodded. "It's going to get bad, and be pretty stressful for awhile now. We'll have to keep a closer watch on Hale and Bella."

"I agree. We killed her mate. Now Victoria is out for revenge, and she doesn't care who she's going to kill. She has enough information to plan and perform an adequate attack, but not enough to keep her cool. She's shook up after losing James, and now she's essentially a wild card. We're not really sure what she's going to do next. That makes her very dangerous and she needs to be killed on sight." Jasper agreed, voice monotonous and cool.

"She's not thinking clearly, and she's making large mistakes, Carlisle." Alice inserted after Jasper finished, voice high and wavering. "From what I have seen, she's after either Hale or Bella. Her mind is too chaotic to handle. I feel like she's another James. It frightens me a little."

Carlisle nodded in response to her words once again before turning towards Edward's hunched and quiet form near the window. He and Jacob had been glaring at each other in silence for the whole of the conversation before Edward was interrupted by Carlisle.

"Did you notice anything, Edward?"

"No," Edward responded, voice tense, as he looked over to Carlisle. "Her mind was too chaotic, just like Jasper said. She's a wild card now. We need to be weary of her."

"She keeps changing her mind, Carlisle. I really don't know how we're going to handle this." Alice added, hesitantly looking at Hale and Edward.

"What are you thinking about, Alice?" Carlisle asked quietly, as he regarded a nodding Edward, and his face lightening again after worry had darkened it.

"Edward and I both think it would be best if Hale and Bella leave until this all blows over. It's really dangerous for them now, Carlisle. I can't-" Here Alice's voice broke, her voice upset and face conflicting as she stared at Hale, he small face broken. Jasper's own mouth began to frown and tremble as he tried to comfort her. He pulled her closer to her side in a hug. "I can't see what she's going to do. I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Alice, we all know that you're trying. You can't be blamed for everything, especially something like this. James wasn't your fault. Now what is this idea?"

Edward began to explain, as it appeared as though Alice couldn't. Hale felt bad for her, it wasn't all her fault. He didn't realize she was still blaming herself about that. He glanced over to see Alice staring at him, eyes watery and morose. He gave her a small smile, which appeared to help her as her eyes brightened a little and she gave him a tiny smile back, although she still appeared down. Hale glanced back to Edward as he began to talk. "Alice and I both had the idea that it would be a good idea to send Bella and Hale away for awhile. Maybe to the Denali clan. Just until things here die down, or we handle the situation. Get them out of the cross-fire, so to speak. I think it's a good plan. They won't be hurt."

Hale felt his stomach drop, and his hands went clammy. He began to panic as he realized what was being said. Leave? Leave home? Away from the family? _With Bella? _He glanced over to Esme, to see how she was responding to the idea, and was even more shocked and horrified to realize that she was nodding along, face set and serious. No, no.

"I think that may be a good idea, Carlisle. Get him away from this. Bella as well. It's getting dangerous. This may be good for them. Really good." Esme inserted, eyes pleading towards Carlisle. Carlisle looked down at Hale, who couldn't do anything but silently plead. He couldn't form words. Away? Right when he needed them?

"How many new-borns do we suspect there are?"

"At least thirty, Carlisle."

Carlisle looked away at that, before looking at Hale. His eyes were wide and a bit fearful, which fuelled Hale's own fears.

Hale began to feel alarmed as Carlisle looked around the room, silently asking for opinions. He wasn't honestly being sent away, was he? He received a regal, short nod from Jasper, a miniature nod from Alice, a slow nod from Edward, and two twin nods from Rosalie and Emmett, who both looked strangely serious and still. The wolves each gave their own nods, all except for Jacob, whose jaw continued to clench.

Suddenly, Jacob erupted and he began to yell furiously."You really think having Bella around a bunch of leeches is going to be good for her? Especially out alone in… wherever these leeches live? What if there's an accident. Sam, you can't honestly believe this is a good idea? Sam? Sam!"

"I do believe this is a good idea, Jacob. Listen. Here she's a distraction. I think everyone here agrees with me about this, as well. With them both gone, it may actually lead Victoria away and halt her plans. That gives us more time to get a perspective on this. I think it's worth a shot. Here, we have to make sure someone is always around to protect them. By doing this we are making sure that they are protected and out of the way." Sam argued back.

Hale felt awful, and lost. Out of the way? Hale looked around at all the grave faces that appeared to be discussing future plans around him, all the faces not acknowledging him, before landing on Felix's face. He suddenly noticed he was the only one who had not given his opinion. Hale found that Felix's still eyes were resting on him, as though assessing something precious. Hale swallowed and was a bit shocked as Felix asked the room.

"Isn't this Hale's decision as well? I don't hear anyone asking him his opinion." All noise abruptly stopped as everyone turned to look at him.

"What's there to talk about?" Sam asked, confused, as he stepped forward, assessing Hale. "You're going to be safe. After being manhandled by James, isn't this a blessing in disguise? You're not in school, from what Bella has told Jacob, and you're getting your assignments early."

Hale didn't' know what to say. His whole life was here. How do you explain that it hurts to be shipped out of an area as though you were a hassle, not a living person with feelings? How do you explain how difficult it is to go some place new without anyone there to keep you company or help you through? Especially with his arm and leg.

He looked back to Felix, who gave him a small nod and smile, eyes gentle and deep. Hale took a deep breath before looking to Carlisle, who was watching him intently, face genuine. "What if I don't want to go to Alaska with the Denali clan? What if I want to stay here? Everything I know is here."

Carlisle glanced over to Esme, who was wringing her hands and biting her lip. Carlisle didn't appear to know what to say. He turned to face Hale head on, calm, though. "You'll be safer this way."

"But everything is here, dad. And won't Deric be suspicious? Or Bella's dad? How are you going to convince him it's a good idea? I think that there can be a better plan than just shipping us off."

Carlisle swallowed and stared at Hale for long moments, who looked right back, biting his lip anxiously. "Please, dad. Please don't send me away."

Carlisle swallowed and looked at Esme again, eyes old and broke. Hale glanced back and forth at them in the silence of the room. "Hale," Carlisle began heavily, grasping onto his hands. "I think this is best."

"What! No-"

"Hale! We can't lose you. I can't go through that again!" Carlisle broke out. Hale leaned back in shock. Carlisle had never raised his voice. "Do you know what it was like! Knowing James had you and not being able to do anything about it! I love you too much for that, Hale. I can't, Hale. I can't lose you! I won't be able to live! None of us will. You're-" Carlisle's voice broke and Hale felt his eyes become blurry at the sound. " You're too precious, Hale. It won't be for forever. A month at most. And if this conflict hasn't been resolved by the end of the month, then you'll come home anyways. Just… we can't focus knowing you're here."

Hale looked down, breathing heavily, heart breaking. He understood, but he couldn't help how he was feeling. He swallowed heavily and continued to look down, even after Carlisle and Esme kissed his forehead gently, and in apology. "Belive me," Carlisle started. "If I could do anything else, I would do it. If it took my life, Hale, it would be for you. In a heartbeat." Hale didn't respond. Quietly, Esme and Carlisle wrapped him in their arms tightly, as Hale burrowed in their warmth.

And quietly, everyone filed out and left. After a few moments, Esme helped Hale upstairs and to bed. He fell asleep with tears clinging to his eyelashes and cheeks.

* * *

><p>Hale slowly awoke as the sun started to filter through his blinds. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table to see that it was around eight thirty or so. He swallowed heavily as he watched his ceiling, feeling a little afraid as his eyes were blurry and unclear again. He couldn't see the ceiling clearly. His eyes felt gritty and tired, and he rubbed at them frantically, wishing it would somehow clear his eyesight.<p>

He appeared to be lucky, as when he next opened his eyes, his ceiling was clear. He sighed explosively before sitting up for a moment. He quietly listened, but heard no movement in the house. He glanced lazily around his room before seeing the light on his phone blinking. He picked it up and glanced at his texts, spotting fifteen texts and two missed calls. He grew puzzled before realizing that they were from Deric, and that he hadn't called him last night before bed like he usually did. He felt bad and abrupt dialed his number, biting his lip as he waited for him to pick up.

He sighed in relief and grinned softly as Deric answered on the third ring, voice groggy and mumbled. He thought he sounded cute still sleepy and half awake. His chest suddenly ached. He really needed Deric right now.

"Hey," Hale whispered quietly and gently. "I didn't mean to wake you. I'm sorry I forgot to call you last night. We had company over and I fell asleep early. I was just exhausted. How are you?"

"Hey," Deric answered, voice light and more awake and alert than before. "I had wondered." A yawn interrupted him and Hale lightly laughed. "Who was the company?"

"A family friend," Hale answered evasively. "He's helping the family out with some stuff that came up."

"Stuff?" Deric questioned, voice more alert than before. "What kind of stuff?"

Hale bit his lip, looking around the room, trying to find an answer to Deric's question.

"Hale?" Deric questioned, voice almost a little edgy.

"My parents were thinking of sending me on a… vacation of sorts. To visit relatives. In Alaska." Hale bit his lip, gripping his phone tightly as Deric let out a heavy, surprised breathe.

"What? How long?" He questioned abruptly, voice shocked and slightly angry.

Hale slightly wondered at that before answering. "Um, a month at the most. No longer." Hale paused. "I don't really want to go." Hale finally admitted, quietly. Deric would understand.

For awhile, silence reigned from the other end of the phone line. Then Deric cleared his throat. "Well, then don't."

Hale's eyes watered a bit. "It's not that simply, Deric. There are some problems, family-wise, that make staying here difficult." And then, without realizing, everything came out. "I don't want to go. I really don't want to go." Hale whispered heavily. "I don't want to leave you. You're everything. I don't even know those relatives well. But I have to, because there's this person here, who may or may not be after me. Who may hurt me. And I'm scared, Deric, but I'm more scared to leave, because that means leaving you, and my family, and my whole life, with a broken arm and leg. I don't want to be a hassle. I can't do anything. It's hard to walk and everything, and I wish… I just wish things were different." Hale let loose a giant breathe riddled with the onslaught of tears that he had dealt with the night before. He would not cry over the phone to Deric. It was just those damn drugs he had to take.

His hands shook as he looked at them. "Whose after you?" Deric suddenly grilled, voice deep and irate. "How can they make you go if you don't want to! That's just ridiculous! And in your condition!" His voice softened upbruptly. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. They just don't think about you at all, do they? You can do so much better. If it wasn't obvious before that they didn't love you it is now."

Hale's breath stuttered and his heart stopped. "You think… you think that?" Things were supposed to get better. They were going to be a family again. Carlisle and Esme loved him... didn't they. Suddenly, doubts ran rampant through his mind. Were they just trying to get rid of him? No... Carlisle wouldn't lie like that.

"Oh, Hale. I didn't want to bring it up, but it's been obvious for awhile now. I mean, they do all these things without asking for your opinion. They treat you like this unwanted child."

Hale shook. So it wasn't just him that thought that? "But I can understand, Deric." Hale tried to insert, and gain back his footing, because he felt as though the floor was falling out from under him. "I mean, this… person… that's after me is dangerous. They just want me safe. With me here, I mean, I can hardly walk. I'd be safe with my relatives. I'll be in a remote location… right?" Hale's voice ended on a croak, begging Deric to agree.

Silence was his answer before Deric sighed heavily. "Hale, if they really loved you, don't you think they would find a way around that and to keep you happy?"

Hale felt tears gathering as he quickly tried to wipe them away. "What do I do, Deric?" He asked helplessly.

"Well, I have an idea. You come stay with me! You can come and live with me. I'll take care of you, Hale. You know I love you. You're my everything, babe. You can stay here during the day when I work. You can drop out of school. You always tell me how people treat you so badly there. You just stay here with me and I'll care about you and take care of you. We'll take care of each other. I got something going, something good, that's making me lots of cash. We'll be really well off, Hale, babe." Hale felt his heart lift. Deric loved him!

"Really?" Hale questioned, voice incredulous. "Just like that?"

"Just like that. You just have to find a time and a place where no one is home to realize you're leaving. Oh, hey! We'll move your stuff out slowly. Everytime you come visit, or I come, I'll take a little bit of your clothes. I'll come everyday this week, and we'll do just that. Eh, Hale? It will be fine. It will work. And then, the last day, I'll say I'm taking you out to dinner and we'll leave and we won't come back!"

"Never?" Hale silently inquired, slightly shocked and taken aback. "I'll never see them again?"

"Well, when you turn eighteen you can come see them again. But I don't think you'll want to. We'll have each other. We won't need anybody else. Wait! What time are they planning on shipping you out like unwanted waste?"

Hale flinched violently at the reminder before biting his lip. "I don't know. I think in a week or so."

"Perfect. That will give us enough time, then. We'll do that. It will be fine, Hale. You'll have me. That's all we need. Won't that be perfect? They don't love you like I do, Hale. Only I can ever really love you. They don't see you, and they don't care. I'll love you, Hale. Forever."

"Forever?" Hale whispered tearfully, desperately wishing to believe it.

"Forever, Hale. I won't ever send you away. We got a plan, babe?"

Hale thought about it for a moment, slightly hysterical and lost. Hale could be his everything. Just like he promised. Hale took a deep breath before releasing it. He felt lightheaded. What else could he do? He swallowed heavily before answering. And with one word, he sealed his fate.

"Okay."


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry, everybody! This chapter just didn't want to be written. It's shorter than the others, but I'm just so sick of it that I couldn't write anymore. This is the last slow chapter before everything sort of begins. I hope I didn't disappoint. Enjoy your summer.

* * *

><p>Hale's thought's swirled about like the tempestuous and tiny small puffs of cotton-like snow outside his bedroom window. He felt the storm outside was fitting, as it echoed his mood and his mind perfectly. His thoughts wouldn't stop spinning from decision to decision. He even felt cold, quiet, and frozen; almost as if the world around him had stopped and nothing was very real. He felt like he had fallen down the rabbit hole into a dream land, except there was no way back out or to the real world, as his ultimate decision was undecided. His mind raced erratically, as doubt, fear, and horror at what he was going to ultimately do crashed about against the sides of his head, giving him a throbbing headache that matched the beat of his racing heart, which pounded through his chest.<p>

A historical novel laid abandoned in his lap, as he sat, quiet and subdued, on his window seat, watching the still and silent world outside. He felt frozen like the whitened branches made pale by hoar frost. He wondered if he stayed in his position for eternity the rest of the world would move on around him. He didn't want to move, didn't want to leave. He felt as though his life was hovering on the blade of a knife, and any decision he made led into the unknown.

It was finding out which side he wanted to leap from that was the problem.

The inside of the house was nearly as silent as the cold, frosty forest outside. It was completely still, with only the creaks of the house as it settled and was rocked about by the wind. The world could have stopped for all Hale knew. What seemed like hushed voices rose up from downstairs like the wind traveling through the branches and dead bushes outside. An abrupt 'scrrrrrrr' echoed throughout the house in startling movement and sound, quickly followed by a soft curse that jolted Hale from his reverie.

Abruptly he found himself pulled back into the sound of the real world. He glanced at the door in tired desperation, hands clenched. It seemed as though all preparations for their departure were on track (at least as far as moving went). It had been decided that since Hale was already excused from school due to his injuries, a new area and climate may help his health and give him something new to focus on besides his injuries. Perhaps it would even help. It was one of the many positives Carlisle had been pitching to Hale throughout the week, as he tried, and failed, to make the trip to Alaska sound like the best idea. Hale thought, sarcastically, that it was a _marvelous _idea. He stopped himself, as, for the first time, he felt the stirrings of anger course through his body, quickly swiping clean the desperation for a few minutes, which wasn't directed towards Bella, as their departure was further hindered because of her. It appeared Charlie Swan made a much better wall than anything, blocking and stopping all forward actions towards getting Bella, and Hale by extension, out of Forks. It took many nights, long phone calls, and family dinners before Charlie even began to _consider_ the idea.

However, even Charlie eventually agreed to the idea. Nothing can truly hold out when faced with a vampire's persistence. They had forever to get their way, and were, in most cases, some of the most patient beings. Hale's not really sure what they eventually agreed upon, or how they even got Charlie to agree to anything involving his daughter leaving, but Bella was now also booked for the same flight Hale was supposed to leave on in a couple days. Hale was sure it probably involved Alice in one form or another. No one could resist Alice for long, and even big, tough, hardass Charlie Swan was, well, no exception to this rule either, however much Hale wished he was.

And so it appeared that January 20th was dubbed Hale's Doomsday, or the day Hale was dreading, as it was the day he and Bella were scheduled to fly out to Alaska. The tickets were made and set, the bags mostly packed, and everything appeared pretty cut and dry, and lost.

It all made Hale a little sick. And anxious. Exceedingly anxious. Everyday that passed was not only one more day closer to his leaving date, but also one more day towards Hale's ultimate decision about whether or not to leave his family forever, or go along with their desires and leave for Alaska with Bella.

As it was, however, the date was now January 15th, and Hale, even now, found himself panicking from the nervousness (which is always the worst kind) as the days kept passing with no positive ideas or solutions to the problem Victoria posed, or the problem that had arisen regarding his departure from his family, or his other option to leave with Deric. Hale found himself continually anger and nervous, as well, as it seemed the problem Victoria posed became worse, making the decision to stay in Alaska seem that much better. Numerous faces and names flooded news channels all day, featuring the horrifyingly sad and desperate stories of missing children, teenagers, and beloved wives and husbands. Every single story of a missing person was a shiver down Hale's back followed by a deep gouge of horror, fear, and anger.

It was shocking, Hale thought, that one vampire could do so much damage. It was easy to see all the positive sides to vampires, what with all their strengths and powers. However, that just made it all the more shocking and horrifying to finally discover why they would be considered the world's most deadly predator. What made it worse was that vampires, even with all their strengths, were still imperfect creatures with imperfect solutions and ideas, who may or may not think themselves above that of human definition. They had free rein to do what they wish because they are unstoppable.

However, Hale was considering the departure to Alaska as a plan B because, true to Deric's word, Deric had been showing up once every day since the accident and slowly, as he had also promised, was taking, a little at a time, Hale's possessions for their ultimate get-away. All the bags Hale claimed were packed for his departure to Alaska were simply decoys containing his old clothes that no longer fit him, or towels and blankets that would go unmissed from the rest of the family who had no use for such items.

It was crazy; what they were doing. It made Hale's heart sprint and fly through his chest like a cannon ball at the idea. He had never, not once, in the whole history of his life, done something like this. Running away from home. Away from his family, and going against his family in the process. He could barely stomach the thought. He felt as though he was stepping off a cliff into thin air with no parachute to catch his descent. And as much as Deric promised to always be there to break his fall, Hale still had difficulty believing in him. Specifically because of how much their relationship appeared to change.

Hale had never realized before how controlling Deric truly was. What Hale had seen as loving was now, well, overbearing. He never realized how, well, possessive Deric also seemed to be. He appreciated the comfort Deric brought and gave to Hale, but calling every morning and night, and seeing each other for hours at a time was a lot for Hale to handle. Before, when he could walk about it was fine, but now that he was pretty much stationary for the whole day, sitting and reading a book or sleeping off his medication. He found that Deric was always the decision maker. And it made Hale feel… strange. Like he was caught in a spider web, with the spider bearing down on him to slowly squeeze the life from him. Which was of course ridiculous, but Hale couldn't help the feeling. It was always there, like a mirage out of the corner of his eye. He was unable to grasp it, but he was always aware it was there, somewhere, at the edge of his vision. Simply waiting.

Hale also had to admit that he was starting to doubt Deric for a second reason. One that involved the mysterious Felix, as Hale found himself continually growing closer and closer to until Hale would admit that he saw Felix as a wonderful and trusted friend, if not more. If Hale had to choose, he was ashamed to admit, he would almost want to pick Felix. Felix, who was both kind and witty, funny but serious. Who liked Tchaikovsky and other classical music, and who never minded when Hale wanted to watch the History Channel. And his relationship with Felix was completely different from the one with Deric. With Deric, he felt weak, but with Felix, he felt like an equal. He felt as though he was considered interesting for himself, and intelligent, and _worthy. _Almost as if he had a place to belong. He found himself almost lik-

Hale abruptly put a stop to his thoughts and swallowed. He was with Deric, and Deric appeared to be the only one, now, who could offer him the freedom he desired, and the comfort he desperately craved. Deric took care of him, and would never leave him, or ship him off like unwanted trash. And even Felix, for all his wonderful characteristics, was allowing Hale to be shipped off to Alaska. Hale forced these thoughts from his mind and suddenly found himself on the receiving end of still silence. He moved his head towards his door again, from which his eyes, in the course of his thoughts, had left, eyebrows drawn low on his forehead as he considered the quiet, which almost seemed to be like that of the silence before a storm. But why it felt like this Hale didn't know. His breathing suddenly seemed loud and harsh in the heavy silence before an abrupt, sharp knock caused him to jump slightly. He let loose a giant breathe of air before scratching his forehead and closing his eyes. He swallowed one last time before calling out, "Come in."

The door slowly creaked open and Hale was faced with Felix's large, encompassing form, swallowing the doorway to his room. His presence seemed to suddenly fill the room with warmth, and Hale felt all his past thoughts and heart slow and become still, and lazy comfort filled his bones like hot cocoa does after playing out in the snow for hours. Seeing Felix ducking down to avoid the top entrance of the doorway made Hale smile unknowingly, and he grasped his book laying in his lap in nervousness.

Hale was suddenly brought back to the thoughts he had been contemplating earlier regarding Felix. The feelings he stirred up in Hale were real and much different than the feelings and emotions Hale felt around Deric. With Felix, Hale felt as though he was recognized as an individual with intelligence, sustenance, and personality. It was liberating, but also scary, as it carried with it an independence that Hale didn't know how to gain or inhabit. He was an equal in Felix's eyes, someone that Felix regularly chatted with. He had been cared for his whole life. Everything that he wanted or needed done usually happened, as he was mostly spoiled by his family, who felt as though spoiling was the only way to include him in their lives and show their love.

Deric fit the mold of his family, Hale thought with rising annoyance over the conflicting subject. Around Deric he felt precious, like light and airy china. Deric appeared to care as he treated him gently, almost as though he was an object that needed care. That's not to say that he didn't believe Felix felt this way, but the way Felix looked at him, with this heartfelt desire, it set Hale's stomach all in a tumble of light and airy feeling, like bright, warm light beams issuing forth out of a cloud that lifted him up and made him fly. With Deric, though, he felt as though he _needed _to be cared for. And that was so familiar a feeling.

But he never felt like he _belonged _with Deric. Hale wasn't really sure how to handle that.

Hale was pulled from his thoughts abruptly once again by the deep cough that issued forth from the door. Hale blushed and let forth a shy smile, embarrassed that he had been so rude as he had let his thoughts wander. Hale found himself relieved to see Felix grinning back at him, not bothered at all. He almost appeared entertained and at peace, Hale thought in confusion.

"Hello." Hale started, unknowingly grinning at Felix.

Felix, for his part, continued to smile back. Hale took notice that the smile was not flirtatious, but rather heartfelt and genuine.

"Hello," he returned, grin still tugging at his lips, red eyes glittering and bright. "And what are you doing up here all by your lonesome?"

Hale smiled before glancing down at his closed book, lightly blushing. "Nothing, just thinking mostly. You? What are you up to? I mean- Although, you don't have to tell me. You know. Oh- " Hale abruptly cut himself off in embarrassment.

Felix laughed gently, and not unkindly "Not thinking hard enough, I think. I was actually contemplating a game of good, stimulating chess before realizing how dreadfully tiring it would be to play against myself. I find myself a most boring companion. And so I decided to search out a much more suitable partner, one both frappante dans le corps et l'esprit. It would be nice to have something plaisant to look at while losing."

Hale took notice of the French, blushing again as he did so. He had begun to realize that whenever Felix was complimenting him, he slipped into his language, as though to keep the embarrassment Hale would feel at such comments to a minimum for Hale.

A startled laugh slipped past Hale's lips as he blushed, contemplating what he had said, green eye's sparkling unknowingly up at Felix. "One of these days I'll figure out what you're saying. And who said you were a boring companion? If that's the case, I'm afraid you will never meet such a companion that you desire if you're stuck in this house all day."

"Well, perhaps I have found one, as I've come to you. Perhaps you may console me and lift up my spirits in the process? Hmm? Oui?" Felix's smile was gentle in response.

"Well," Hale began, swallowing and blushing. "I don't know how much of a challenge I'll be, but I'll give it a shot. I find that I don't really want to be thinking anyways. "

"I hope whatever makes you abandon such thoughts that you do not wish to contemplate does not involve me?"

Hale blushed again before murmuring without a thought, and with a small, embarrassed smile on his face, "No."

A small, sincere smile graced Felix's lips in response before he proceeded into the room, holding with him a chess board and box in his hand. He closed the door behind him and Hale suddenly felt as though the moment between them suddenly transformed into something much more intimate. He swallowed, hands suddenly sweaty with nerves. He was confused to find he was also excited. But being with Felix was exciting, and certainly never boring. At least in the couple of days they had been talking. He felt as though butterflies were doing stunt devil sequences in his stomach and swallowed to keep them down.

"Excellent." Felix began, as he dragged over Hale's desk and chair, the feat no struggle to him with his outstanding strength. "And how are the leg and arm feeling today? Annoying as ever, non?" Felix asked conversationally but with actual interest, eyes focused on the chess board and moving the chess pieces to their proper places in preparation for the game although a small, flirting quirked his lips.

Hale, who had been watching Felix rather than the board blushed slightly again, and looked down at the board, biting his lip. Felix was the only one who could ask that question and make it sound like it came from genuine concern.

"All right." Hale shrugged, trying to look indifferent. "Slightly stiff and heavy, but nothing I can't deal with."

Felix nodded in understanding before stopping all movement and riveting his eyes on Hale. Hale, himself, froze as well, feeling as though he were suddenly naked and open to those eyes. The world around them froze once again, like the world outside his window, the world Hale had wanted to lose himself in earlier. He had a moment of thought where, if he could choose, he would pick instead to lose himself in this moment, as his worries and troubles dropped out of existence entirely and, rather than feeling uncomfortable and stifled, Hale finally felt at peace.

Hale watched as Felix continued to assess Hale. Silence reined until Felix broke it again by asking, "Are you ready for the move? Leaving in a couple of days, non?"

The moment was suddenly broken and Hale looked away again, out the window, wishing he had wings. "Yes," he choked out. "In about another week."

Silence reigned again, although now uncomfortable. Neither moved until Felix shifted. At once, Hale found his eyes riveted to his form, questioning. Felix met his eyes head on again, face full of understanding and something like pain. Felix let forth a gust of air, as though letting go of some notion, and Hale found himself listening intently when Felix opened his mouth to speak, although he was a little startled at the pain echoed in the words. "There are always choices one can make. The nice thing, about such choices, however, are that they lead to greater growth and understanding. I have no doubt, mon beau, that in a few years, you will be exactly the person you wish to be. Although... I worry that they may be somewhat painful for you." His eyes became shadowed as he looked down to the board, playing with a chess piece. Hale focused on his long, graceful fingers.

Hale felt his heart lift through his throat, and his eyes grew slightly blurry. He coughed, trying to cover how much the words had meant to him and his worries, although a little taken aback at the threat that hung about the words like death. "What type of person do you think I want to be? And what do you mean by painful."

Felix let loose a dead smile, eyes flat, as he continued to contemplate the board and the chess piece. "Forgive me for being blunt, but I feel this is something you must know. You know I only wish for the best for you. And if you did not know, I hope you know it now." He paused for a moment, looking up again and contemplating Hale. Hale gazed back, suddenly unsure as to where this conversation was now going and a little unbalanced, but also very interested. "I believe that you wish to be a strong person. An independent person. Do not understand me wrong, though. I do believe that you are strong, but I don't think you truly understand how strong you can be. You think that you must be dependent on people, on others-" Here his eyes met Hales, and Hale felt as though Felix was seeing into his soul. "I think, though, that you truly do not understand the type of independence that you can truly achieve. You are not weak, no matter what anyone tells you. Do not listen to people who wish to tell you so, or tell you that you are not good enough, or that you will never achieve or receive great things. You are made for great things. Learn to trust yourself. And learn to do what you wish, or think it is best. You let people control you, but you do not see that you also have control. I fear..." Here Felix had to gather himself, and Hale felt his chest hurt in response for the pain Felix so clearly expressed. "I feel that the journey will be hard. But... I have to let you go through with it. I only hope that, in the end, you will understand. It is the key to everything."

Silence swirled about them as Hale swallowed, hands clasped tightly in his lap. He tore his eyes away from Felix and gazed out the window. "I do…. Not understand what you mean." Hale breathed. He looked back to Felix, feeling, suddenly, very vulnerable and unsteady, and very much like everything he had ever known about the world had been incinerated and destroyed beyond all recognition.

Felix's eyes were kind and full as he gazed back at him, holding his eyes once more, and Hale realized, with sudden understanding, that Felix always met his eyes, as though he was an equal.

"No, I don't think you do. But you will. Soon, Hale, you will discover what true strength is in yourself. You are not finished, I think, with growing up, although you believe you are. Soon you will certainly find where you truly belong. Of that, I have no doubt."

"You've never really doubted me before, though, have you?" Hale breathed out unintentionally, feeling very unreal and separate from real life.

"No, not ever, mon beau. I have, and will continue to have, the greatest belief in you. _I _think you can do _anything. _But you have not realized that yet. However, this topic grows far too heavy for such a light and happy moment. We are together, let us rejoice in friendship and the moment. And now: chess?" Felix grinned once again, although a shadow remained, making the smile a poor copy of the true one. However, he continued to motion toward the board, and Hale, although he still felt very lost and somewhat afraid, allowed the air to grow light again, but no less still, as if they were in their own little bubble, where nothing could hurt them.

Hale, trying to help Felix regain his original sense of humor, stated, through a bright, red face, eyes light and bright, "Do not feel too badly when I beat you, Felix." Felix laughed, head thrown back, eyes also bright, and the mood officially broken. "I will try and contain myself, mon beau. But perhaps you may have to comfort me."

Hale laughed lightly, sitting forward in anticipation. "Perhaps." However, Hale had finally come to a decision. He would leave with Deric. With his family, he couldn't grow, and for some reason, he felt it was very important that he begin such a process. He trusted Felix, and knew that, although his journey may bring about problems and hurt, he couldn't remain in the bubble his family wished to place him in. Deric may not be the best decision, but he was a new journey. What would come, would come. Hale allowed the rest of his worries, his thoughts, his fear to disappear, and focused on Felix, the board, and the moment. He may not ever have this again.

* * *

><p>Hale blinked and the next few days passed by faster than a speeding rocket. He found himself waking up to a bright, spring day that was directly opposite of his mood. Even though he had decided to run away and begin a new journey in his life, he was still faced with the insecurities of that decision. Stress and worry made him feel tired and worn, and he felt as though, if someone blew on him, he would break into thousands of small little pieces.<p>

The family had been quiet the last couple of days, and barely talking. Edward was gone much of the time with, Hale assumed, Bella. It seemed as though her father was still not one-hundred percent okay with the fact that she was leaving for a whole month and had begun to ask very deep-probing questions that took lies upon lies to develop. Hale didn't have it in himself to feel bad for the added stress the family had because of this problem.

It seemed as though Chief Swan was requesting an in-depth conversation over dinner to make sure his daughter would be taken care of. It was pure luck that the dinner was arranged the night before they were due to leave, and knowing Chief Swan and his somewhat paranoid attitude regarding everyone, Hale knew that they would be gone for a couple hours, giving Deric and himself time to drive to Seattle.

Hale was, officially, leaving tonight, and just the idea alone made him feel nauseaus.

It also helped that Felix, who had continued to stay with the family and who Hale felt a deep and true friendship with, had left to feed. Because of the army, it often took time and space to feed, as the coven found that they had to travel many more miles to keep themselves hidden from human eyes and fears. These factors left Hale completely alone, and made the plan to escape very easy.

It would have been a let down, how easy it was to leave, if Hale hadn't been so scared and nervous. Hale was far too stressed to see it any other way.

And so, the minute the family drove off for Chief Swan's dinner, Hale sent Deric the text and, within a couple minutes of the family leaving, his large pick-up complete with flashing headlights found itself parked on their driveway. Minutes after this, Hale found himself sitting in the front seat of Deric's pickup, watching his house becoming smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. He couldn't stop the feeling that he was making a horrible decision, even while thinking this decision had to be done. He still felt as though he was running away from what should have been his salvation. He swallowed thickly, glancing at Deric's dark profile, and felt tears catch in his eyes. He had made his bed. But honestly, he didn't feel as though he was on the right track anywhere. He glanced back out the window into the darkened forest and remained silent until their reached the free-way. He thought he saw the tall, immense figure of Felix, enlightened in the pale light of the moon.

The night had never seemed quite so dark.


	8. Chapter 8

Okay, everybody. For those of you who kept on asking, thank you. I just needed some motivation. I apologize for how late this is, but life has been pretty hectic lately. I'm trying to finish school and graduate, but I decided to take a lot of classes and work two jobs, so there you have it. I hope you enjoy this chapter. We jumped ahead, but stuff is starting to pick up. Thank you to everyone who kept on supporting me! I greatly appreciate it.

Her breath stuttered in her throat as she forcibly ripped her body around a corner only to lean against it heavily, chest heaving and legs shaky. She raised a trembling hand up to her face to shove her frizzy hair away from her eyes, which had become loose as she fled. Her eyes frantically searched the alley, catching on any identifying markers but seeing none. Her breath suddenly caught, a hostage in her throat, as the distant, pounding footsteps of her chasers sounded behind her. Her fingers curled into her palm as she pivoted on worn, and mud-stained boots to her right, and began to sprint through the back alleys once again, her cloak whipping around her legs.

As she rounded another corner, hands attempting to find slots to hold, she cursed. She was already late, damnit. She huffed out a breath as she sped past a beggar and his dog. In her head she analyzed and organized her thoughts, spitting out those that would not work as she tried in vain to remember where she was supposed to meet her correspondence. Rain pounded the street and her head, drenching her hood and making the alleys slippery and deadly. She found it difficult to see, and missed, narrowly, a black and looming wall. From behind her, the footsteps were growing fainter. Panic raced up her spine and the sound, rather than making her glad, caused trepidation. She wished she could apparate, but she was in America, and the American government paid deep and close attention to international tourists who apparated in their country.

But only to those who weren't legally there. Needless to say, she couldn't apparate.

She cursed again as she sprinted through another alley, splashing herself in the dense, and mottled puddles. She was soaked through and desperate. Where was the damn building!

Suddenly, a hand latched onto her arm, and pulled. She let loose a scream that didn't have the opportunity to omit sound before another hand to match the first was shoved over her mouth. It was attached to a strong, drenched and clammy arm around her neck. Her heart thudded through her skin as hot breath coasted across her skin.

"Shhhhh," the voice whispered, calmly and soothingly. "It's Eric."

Hermione felt her body liquefy, and she would have slithered to the water drenched ground if Eric hadn't caught her.

"Oh, Merlin." Hermione whispered, voice ragged and reverent. "I was at the spot, and then I realized I was being followed. I tried to lose them but, well…. I got lost."

"Never panic." Eric parroted as he unwound his arm. "It's what they want you to do."

Hermione swallowed back a tirade. She wanted to ask where Eric had been, and why he hadn't been in the agreed meeting spot. It was really all his fault. If he had been where he was supposed to be and on time, Hermione wouldn't have had to wait, and, as a result, wouldn't have been spotted. Her face felt hot as she curled her lip. She even opened her mouth, prepared to let her vitriol escape, before she felt her stomach heave at the sound of pursuing footsteps growing louder with each second. Eric must have heard them, too, because his whole body stiffened before he grabbed her hand, and dashed further into the alley he had pulled her into.

Hermione curbed her opinion at the action, although she was sure this alley led to a back end. As they ran toward the back of the alley untouched by the insignificant lighting of the headlamps that illuminated only certain corners infinitesimally, Hermione wondered what Eric was planning on doing as he sprinted toward what she could only assume would be the hard, slime coated, dense brick wall. But instead of impacting with the structure of the building, Eric instead stopped abruptly, waved his hand, and a door popped into existence. Immediately, Hermione watched, fascinated at the concept of the infinite number of spells that could make such a thing possible.

Eric stepped very close to the door, face nearly resting on the dark stained wood, before Hermione caught the end of a small whisper. The door creaked open, nearly soundless in the pounding rain. Light spilled out onto their feet, and Eric yanked her inside, blinding her in the process. She lifted a hand to her face to block out the sight as she heard Eric close, lock, and mumble something at the door. She assumed that it had disappeared, and they were safe for the moment.

Grumbling ensured from before her as she took her hand away from her face, eyes watering and face tight from the abrupt change in temperature. Delicious smells wafted about and coated her nose. She swallowed as she panted, struggling for breath.

"You're late!" A voice boomed from off to her right. Hermione resisted the urge to flinch, but just barely. Any sign of fear would only be weakness here.

She refused to be weak. She had an important message to deliver.

"I know," Eric responded, voice tight and steady as if to hold back annoyance. "I got caught up."

"By what!? A pretty lady!" The same voice shouted, deep and throaty. Hermione blinked away her tears as she searched the room for the voice. Her eyes landed on a thick man, sitting atop a worn and wooden chair with kingly deception. His long and graying beard reached the middle of his chest which contrasted sharply with his bald head and bushy eyebrows. There he waited, eyes settled and determined on Eric, who Hermione turned to watch.

Eric's face was pale except for two bright, red blotches resting high on his cheek bones. His face looked harsh on his already think and sharp face. His rain soaked, and black, shoulder length hair dripped down his own cloak. "No," he responded through a tense chin, neck stiff. "Vampires, Mark. You idiot."

There had been other sounds in the room and people moving about out of the corner of Hermione's eye, but she had ignored those in favor of the interaction between these two men who were seemingly at odds. Hermione was glad she had, even if she had to hold in her gasp.

The same astonishment was reflected back in Mark's face as he sat forward. Hermione tried to ignore his food stained shirt which rested tightly over a protruding belly. A grimace wanted to crawl up her face, but she resisted, and focused instead on his face closely.

"What?" Mark whispered. A tentative tension built behind Hermione with the small crowd hovering behind her. She listened as all sound seemed to stop, and spotted, out of the corner of her eye, other long, solid tables with benches on each side, and men and women watching the discussion.

"Yeah," Eric stated back. "Vampires. Two of them. Newborn. I was stalled. They tried to corner me in an alley. So…" here Eric looked directly at Hermione. "Sorry."

Hermione nodded to show her forgiveness, although she felt the familiar tingle of excitement begin in her fingers when she knew a puzzle was close to becoming finished.

"So." Mark started, voice slow. "That's why this girl is here? Some informant from England to discuss the vampires with us?"

Hermione turned to face Mark, face stoic and hands quiet. "Yes. But first I need to speak with Dumbledore. Do you have a floo?"

Mark's face turned a most hideous shade of red before he opened his mouth, meaty hands clenched.

"Of course we have a floo," Eric inserted himself into the conversation naturally and with grace. "If you would only come this way?" He then began to walk away, heading straight for the small group of listening bystanders, who Hermione ignored as they watched her, faces blank and eyes tired.

Eric and Hermione passed through the rest of the dining room area until they reached another door, through which they went through into a long, dark hallway. Dark paneling ran up and down both walls, making the shadows crouch and shiver. They passed four doors until Eric opened a fifth one on his right.

"Here we are. The living room. There's a fireplace directly in front and some floo powder on the shelf above the fireplace. Just walk straight back the way we came when you're done. We'll all be in the dining room. I'll leave some food for your."

"Thanks," Hermione responded distractedly as she headed toward the fireplace, mind leaping. She grabbed a fist full of the green powder and sank down to her knees as she heard the door softly "click" behind her. She then threw the powder directly into the fire itself as she shouted, "Hogwarts! School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" and then she inserted her head into the fire, eyes closed instinctively to the heat and ashes.

"Ah, Miss Granger." A voice wisped through the connection, and Hermione opened her eyes, taking in the old, wrinkled face of her beloved Headmaster.

"Hello, Headmaster."

He chuckled. "None of that, Miss Granger. Albus, please. I'm no longer your Headmaster."

Hermione gave back a wavering smile. "Of course, Albus."

He smiled for a moment before he, too, also leaned forward. "Now," he started. "What exactly did you find concerning Harry Potter."

Hermione licked her lips as she looked down, anticipation growing in her belly. "Well, sir," she began, voice wavering and cracking, her eyes alight in excitement. "He's alive."

"Excellent." Dumbledore whispered, eyes faraway. "Very excellent. Tell me what you have."

Hermione took a deep breath and settled herself more comfortably on the ground. She really hated floo. Her knees ached so badly, and her body felt stiff from the flight.

"Of course, sir," she responded, but then hesitated, licking her lips again. "But first I think it's necessary to tell you what I have heard regarding the vampires."

Dumbledore nodded. Hermione took a deep breath before she began.

"Well, they're headed by a female vampire called Victoria. I'm not quite sure she's entirely sane, of course. She's also working toward recruiting as many vampires as she can. It's growing exponentially, although it backfires at times because they are what the American Magical Community calls "newborns," which means they are basically newly turned vampires with no control over their desire for blood. These newborns, in their thirst, usually end up destroying each other. However, even with these minor setbacks, Victoria has been managing to build her army. I believe she has close to sixty vampires under her control. From other rumors I've heard, I believe she may somehow also be in contact with Voldemort. It would make sense. With that many vampires, she would need a safe place to rest, and a continual supply of food. The muggles were growing suspicious when this all began last year."

Dumbledore's face went ashen, and Hermione felt unease at the graveness etched deeply into the lines of his face. He brought his hands up near his face, fingertips resting together below his chin as he contemplated Hermione. "Why do you believe such a thing?"

Hermione shifted again. "Well, I've heard her mention Bellatrix Lestrange, and I've intercepted mail that indicates the two are responding. However, the letters are in a code I haven't had time to break or understand yet. There was also, recently, a building sold under the name of Bellatrix Lestrange to one Victorial Morrigonn."

"I see," Dumbledore murmured, voice low and slow.

Hermione nodded and began again. "I believe that Voldemort is working in close conjunction with Victoria and her army through Lestrange. The vampires could be a very useful army should a war ever begin between us."

Dumbledore closed his eyes, lips thin as they pressed together. Hermione couldn't remember him looking so old.

"The vampires here are particularly dangerous," Hermione continued, voice rushed and unsteady with her nerves. "They're faster and harder to kill. They can walk around into the sunlight. It's actually quite fascinating. They're actually a type of mutation."

Dumbledore opened his eyes and looked at her before he asked, voice somewhat steadier. "What have you heard about Harry Potter?"

"Well, that's the interesting bit." Hermione murmured, before she began again, voice stronger. "I've heard from resources that Harry actually grew up with a family that consisted of vampires. They must have someone who hides their records because I couldn't find anything about his hospital visits, past schools, or anything. Supposedly, if my findings can be trusted, Potter was responsible, somehow, for the death of Victoria's mate. She swore revenge, which seemed to spark the decision to create her army. But then it escalated, which I can only presume to guess began because she received some sort of missive from Voldemort."

"And where is Mr. Potter now?" Dumbledore questioned, leaning forward.

"The man I believe to be Harry Potter currently lives with his partner, a Deric Andrew Carrigan. They have been together almost a year… From what I've witnessed, it doesn't appear to be a very healthy relationship."

Dumbledore frowned harshly. "What makes you believe so?"

"Deric is… highly involved in the distribution of drug paraphernalia. At first, he wasn't using, at least to my understanding, but now… he's quite… consistent with his doses. He tends to become violent, and he strikes out."

"Indeed." Dumbledore paused, eyes unfocused before he turned back to face Hermione. "Are you sure he's Harry Potter."

Hermione nodded. "He has the scar, and I managed to do a blood test. It matches."

Dumbledore closed his eyes as he sagged in his chair, hands falling to his sides. "What name does he go by now?"

"Hale. Hale Cullen."

Dumbledore nodded. "Perhaps it is time to invite Mr. Cullen for a visit."

Hermione nodded. "I'll ready the others."


	9. Chapter 9

I want to thank everyone for being so patient. I apologize for this chapter being terribly late. I became very busy. However, I want to thank everyone for their kind reviews. You kept me going. Here is the next interlude.

Hermione dusted off her robes as she rose from her kneeling position, adjusting slowly as her knees throbbed, stiff. She took one deep breath before she turned back toward the door, preparing herself for the questions she was sure to encounter. She quickly ran through what information she was able to give, and then opened the door and slipped out, attempting to close the heavy door quietly behind her.

Suddenly, she felt a vibration emanate from her front jean pocket covered by her cloak. She gasped out from surprise before she fumbled about to move the damp cloth covering her hip and remove the small device from her shrunken pocket. It continued to vibrate, a continuous and consistent feeling, before she got it out and raised it to her ear shakily, just noticing for the first time how cold and clammy her hands were.

"Hello?" She murmured, eyes focusing on the shadows hiding the corners in the hallway.

"Hermione?" Hale whispered back, voice anxious.

"Har- err – Hale? Yes, this is Hermione. How are you? Er- is everything alright?" She coughed to cover the squeak in her voice, hiding her surprise.

A pause followed her question, and Hermione's thoughts spun.

A deep breath sounded over the phone, shaky and hoarse, as though he was stabling himself. Suddenly, with a voice like steel, Hale began to talk. "You said if I ever wanted a place to stay to get back on my feet I could call you. So, I was wondering if I could camp out on your couch for a couple days, just until I …. Find, um, my own place."

Hermione blinked. Silence lingered in the air. Her eyes wide in shock at the turn of events. Thoughts ran rampant.

"Hermione?" Harry prompted curiously.

"Oh! Yes! Um! Oh, of course you can, Hale. You're my friend, too. I have to say I haven't exactly approved of Deric's decisions lately." Hermione bit her lip, unable to, before then, stop her tirade.

Silence echoed through the other end. "Yeah," Hale finally whispered. He then cleared his throat, murmured something, and coughed again.

"Could you come pick me up? I've got everything packed. Deric is… sleeping."

Hermione bit her lip, her unused hand reaching up to ravel her damp hair around her pointer finger.

"Of course. Is it alright if I bring a friend to help you carry your things?" Hermione knew Eric would want to come, and after tonight, she was concerned that she might be followed again.

"Oh, yeah, sure. That's fine." There was a stagnant pause, followed by a swallow that could have been covering a sob. "Thanks, Hermione."

"You're welcome, Hale. I'll see you in about a half an hour?"

"Sounds great. Um, thank you. Bye." He whispered, before Hermione heard the click of the phone disconnecting and then nothing at all.

"Bye."

She closed her flip phone with a snap and let loose a gush of air, shocked, before she bit her lip, eyes staring ahead at nothing as she considered the events.

"Who was that?" Another voice enquired, abruptly pushing her from her thoughts. She spun around, hand on her heart, to face Eric, finding him leaning , arms crossed, against a hallway wall. His eyebrow raised slightly in a mocking gesture at Hermione's reaction. For the first time, she noticed a glint of metal peeking through his eyebrow.

Hermione let loose a breath, establishing herself before standing straight and tall. She swallowed heavily, and hid her shaking hands.

"There's been a change of plans." Her carefully laid speech to Eric was no longer useful. She would have to play it by ear. The board had been swept clean. They were going to be forced to move faster than anticipated. She wasn't prepared.

Eric raised an eyebrow. "Show time?"

Hermione could only nod.

_Just call Hermione, Hale. Honestly, she told you that you could. Just. Call. Her. _Hale nibbled his lip, brow furrowed as he regarded the phone resting heavily in his hand. He swallowed once, and then twice with his dry throat before he looked around, searching the dark room. His eyes caught on Deric, haphazardly lying across the bed, arms curled about his head as though to protect his face. Hale felt his face distort into a grimace and looked down at the phone with renewed vigor and determination before walking quickly and stiffly from the room.

He softly shut the door to block any noise from his phone call, although he knew it would take dedication and courage to wake Deric from his slumber at this point. And with the drugs coursing through his veins, distorting his mind, and changing him into a stranger, Hale had no desire to draw attention to himself. Fresh bruises in the shape of handprints already marred his skinny upper arms and neck. He rubbed his chin self-consciously before covering his face and closing his eyes. His lips shook and wet warmth settled beneath his eyelids.

He cleared his throat and walked slowly into the kitchen with phantom-like elegance, a wraith in the moonlight filtering through the cracked and moldy windows of Deric's apartment. Outside, sirens ricocheted off the derelict brick walls and into the night, an eerie sound against the drunken slurs and thumping bass of cars drifting past down below with no real place to go.

Hale starred silently out through the window in the dark of the kitchen over the sink, the street wet and slick beneath the moon as his hand grasped his phone, hand shaking and breath stuttering through his chest. The refrigerator hummed erratically behind him, and his shoes scratched over broken linoleum tiles. Somewhere in the distance Deric snorted, an abrupt and horrifying sound. Hale felt himself stiffen, hands grasping the sink, bile rising in his throat. He couldn't live like this anymore.

Far away, doors down, a baby wailed, and goose bumps rose on his arms. Yelling, mature and violent, without innocence, followed the wailing and a stuttered scream attempted to fill the air before being cut off abruptly, swallowed again by the silence of the floor. Hale observed the rest of the room silently, the darkness of the night hiding the failed attempts to make the apartment into a home. The painting he had painstakingly struggled through, now sullied on the floor, the table and chairs Hale had attempted to paint in order to hide the deep gauges marring the wood were now broken and battered on the ground; the couch he had meticulously reupholstered now blackened with cigarette smoke and sagging in the corner. Broken dishes plagued the floor, sparkling in the glint of the two street lights still working below, their bright colors illuminated like rubies and sapphires.

The walls were now married with fist imprints and the smell of sick vomit and alcohol permeated the air. Near his dirty, exhausted shoes rested fine dust of some unknown drug, the seed that destroyed his garden. Hale swallowed again and, as if he could change the past, walked silently to their room, to observe his love, see his full face, graceful limbs peaceful in slumber. He slowly edged the door open, hoping it was all a dream, as he hoped each time, and was instead met with Deric's spindly arms and legs, dirty unwashed hair, and permanent sneer distorting his face. Hale felt his breath shake in his chest, and then slowly expand up his limbs and down his legs. How did it end like this? Didn't he have any self-respect? What happened to his goals? His own dreams? What had he done? Where had it gone wrong?

"Oh, Deric." Hale whispered hollowly, vision blurred. "Why couldn't you have picked me?"

Tears leaked down his face, and he felt his nose grow tight before he straightened his lips and firmly shut the door. This life was over. A new chapter would begin. He didn't know where he would go from here, but he knew one or two people who could help him figure it out.

With a shaky, but sure hand, Hale opened his phone and called Hermione.

"It's show time." He murmured, voice shaky but resolute.

"So, what's the plan?" Erick questioned, eyebrow raised on his pale face, which was partially hidden by his shoulder length brown hair. Hermione admired how straight and sleek it was before turning her attention back to him, face slightly raised.

"I have an... important friend."

"Right." Eric prodded.

"A very important figure. Who may be, perhaps, wanted by other less... savory figures. Someone who we have been searching for some time." Hermione hedged.

Illumination dawned on Eric's face.

"Who else knows?" He asked in a fervent whisper, eyes wide. "Is that why you're here?"

Hermione swallowed, nervous at the attention. "Only my associate and specifically picked other individuals. We weren't sure at first, you see, but all the indications lead us to believe that my friend is who we have been looking for. And that yes, he is here."

Eric seemed to collapse on himself, the breath leaving his lungs and stress leeching from his face.

Hermione went on in a rush. All her carefully laid plans demolished. "I have been attempting to form a relationship with him for some time in order to gain his trust. I have succeeded. He just called me on the phone. He needs a ride and a place to stay. We need to go get him now."

Eric didn't say anything for a moment, but then he stood up straight once more, face pensive. Hermione examined his furrowed eyebrows. She wondered if he knew that they were so expressive.

"What do you mean you have been trying to gain his trust?"

"Orders. I was given orders to gain his trust. He doesn't know anything about his history."

The silence following those words were more telling than the most descriptive analysis.

"Where is he living now? Why is it necessary that you have had to gain his trust in the first place? Does he not trust easily?"

Hermione swallowed and then licked her lips. "No, not from what I've seen. From the small amounts of information I've gathered, he ran away from home to live with his boyfriend, but since then the relationship has not gone well, to put it mildly."

"Was this the plan all along? To wait until he called?"

"I must admit that we had far more elaborate plans focused on how to retrieve him, but not that he has called and asked for our assistance, the tasks has been made that much easier. However, this isn't -"

"Wait, wait. So you were just gonna kidnap him?" Eric's tone was incredulous, eyes betrayed. "What are you guys playing at?!"

Hermione's voice wobbled. "We have no other choice. You live here, and yes, you see violence, but it isn't anything comparable to what we are now experiencing. We are desperate. You must understand. We have lost so much. It is only a matter of time before it spreads. You-Know-Who is back and at large, as are many of his followers. I tell you this in confidence, you must understand, because I cannot go alone to get him. I need assistance. I was assured you would be able to help. Please, this is of the utmost importance. I cannot fail, and with people on my trail and vampires roaming the streets, I fear I will not succeed.

"But you're talking about betraying a guy that you're supposedly friends with - forcing a guy to leave the country!? I- that's kidnapping." Eric stopped, confusion hidden in the grooves of his face. "I was told when the time came that we would introduce him slowly. From his history - this is gonna be impossible for him to understand. What about his family? Are they going to be informed? Or are you just going to stow him away and get him across the ocean?"

Hermione bit her lip. "Please. I was given orders. I don't like them anymore than you do. But lives are at stake!"

"Were you ever really even his friend?! Or was this all some big hoax!?"

"What do you care anyway!?" Hermione screamed back, panic and fear stirring her voice.

"Hey!" A new voice shouted. "We got a Vamp Attack! Near that old arcade. Everyone's needed."

Eric stuttered to a stop, preparing his stance already, attuned to directions. He turned to Hermione. "You know-," he started before stopping at the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"That's where Hale is."

Chaos erupted.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Hale thought his heart was going to explode.

His breaths came in ragged gasps, his hands shook, and sweat dripped down the sides of his face to drip from his ear lobes and land on his white t-shirt, where he felt the dampness seep into his already cold body. Quietly, breathe freezing in his lungs, he wedged open the door to peak at Deric's silent form. Through the slivers of pale moonlight grasping through the broken blinds on their cracked and lopsided window, Hale observed Deric sleeping, hands still raised about his face as though warding himself against invisible demons that would crush him and devour him if given the chance.

Hale felt wariness seep into his muscles as he slowly edged himself into the room. He needed money, and clothes. And his old cell phone, which had since been turned off, but still held some symbolic reference that he didn't dare think too long about. In the gray of the room, and with the shadows pressing and wavering in every corner, Hale managed to make his way silently over to the lopsided dresser, which its drawers cracked and splintered, to round up some clothes and his hidden stash of money, which he stuffed, as rolls, into his yellowed socks barely held in his worn and stretched shoes.

He frantically, but slowly, and with twitching limbs, pulled jeans, shirts, and sweatshirts out from the cracked drawers, praying to whatever deity listening that Deric would not wake. Hale had no way of knowing how he would react. Would Deric see him as a monster, like last time? Or a thief come to steal his valuable dust? Or would Deric take him by the hair, screaming in his face, saliva flying from a gaping hole, before throwing out fists and vitriol, and – Hale abruptly stopped, shaking, tears dripping down his face and mixing with his sweat, before hurriedly continuing his mission to gather as many of his belongings as possible. He did not belong here.

The sounds outside hid his stuttering whimpers as he quickly gathered his clothes close to his chest, before moving, even more slowly and silently, to the bedside table for his old cell phone. His legs felt boneless, and shook. As he attempted to pull out the stuck drawer, he watched Deric's face for signs of his awakening, holding his breath, eyes wide in the gloom for any sign that his nightmare was about to begin.

The drawer slowly, and with great resistance, managed to move until it was open a crack, barely enough for his hand to fit through, but sufficient. He wedged his fingers in, moving over the twisted wood; searching for the object he needed before the tip of his pinky finger hit the side. All at once Deric snorted loudly and moved, arms flinging about as though fighting an invisible foe and nausea threatened at the back of Hale's throat.

Fear struck immediately after, and Hale dropped to the ground, hand still stuck in the drawer. His breath died in his chest as he waited for Deric to settle. Hale bit his lip against the moisture clouding his eyes in the already gloomy room, as he counted stains on the bedspread, listening to Deric's horror. However, Deric only continued to scream, before he began to scratch at the air, words of anger and despair ricocheting off the walls of what was their tiny bedroom. Hale held back his sobs, hurting with him but hating him just the same. Just as suddenly as the episode started, his words turned into tiny gasps filled with tears and anguish, blubbering and drowning on tears. Hale closed his eyes and felt liquid again seep between his eyelids. In the past he had been there, with a Kleenex and his love, to help him, to hold him, to talk him down from the high, back to the disappointment, back to his body.

That was always when it was the worst. When Deric would lash out in anger, displaying his disappointment that he was now in the real world, instead of the world he preferred, a world that didn't contain Hale. That was always when it was the worst for Hale, too. When he realized that if Deric could choose, he would pick the white dust over him always and forever.

Hale need only wait before the cycle repeated, and Deric dozed back off to sleep, mumbling and humming, rocking back and forth, lost to his misery and the downward spiral. He never believed anything was real at this point. Hale grabbed the phone, and then proceeded to crawl, on his belly, to the door before slinking through the crack.

Once over the threshold he stopped, and rested against the floor, chest heaving and breath catching on his sobs, before he slowly stumbled back to his feet, body shaking. _He deserved better than this. He deserved better, so much better._ He quickly lurched to the kitchen, reaching underneath the sink for grocery bags from days long past, when they used to cook together and laugh together, and days were bright and full. He snuffed out the memories and stuffed his clothes and cell phone in two bags, before pulling on a sweatshirt and turning around to look over what had once been his home.

He didn't belong here anymore.

He left the key on the counter for Deric to find later, and couldn't even imagine his reaction. Hale didn't want to think about it anymore anyways. Instead, he grabbed the bags, checked that the money was still in his sock, and slunk out of his old life into a hallway filled with doors, before creeping through the shadows of the apartment hallway. His nose twitched in a grimace etched face at the stench of the hallways, and the sounds of yelling and crying behind the doors.

He wrapped his arms around himself before hurrying past a hunched figure, rocking back and forth, a band wrapped around their upper arm, until he got to the stairwell, where he leaped down steps in his rush to get outside, to just get out in the air, to a world that didn't seem to exist here in this hell.

The large doors creaked as he pushed them open into the florescent street lights illuminating the shiny and darkened streets hiding debris and old needles, before he walked over to the bench facing the street, ignoring calls for his attention from women without enough clothes to keep them warm, and turning away from cars that stopped to roll down their windows, hiding darkened and disembodied voices that asked him how much, before offering him fifty dollars and cursing him when he did not answer.

He perched himself on a lone bench, away from the alley he had just exited, right under a flickering street lamp, watching the hookers and waiting for Hermione. Soon, soon this would all be his past. He wrapped his arms tighter and hunched in on himself.

And then he waited.

Hale wasn't sure when it began, but he was aware of the goosebumps first, scattered about his arms and the back of his neck, where he felt the hair standing on end, traveling down his stomach and legs, almost as if he had been electrified. He had been drifting, not sleeping exactly, but exhausted and cold, stuck hovering. He rubbed his arms, becoming more fully aware of the quiet of the night, which appeared sudden and strange after the commotion of before. He looked up from examining his shoes to observe the deserted street, the darkened alleyways, empty and desolate. Even the junkie who had been hunched over and talking to himself, shouting at invisible ghosts was gone, his cart full of putrid garbage haphazardly swaying in the wind, wheels squeaking.

From an indefinite distance away, Hale heard a scream, a scream so horrific, so full of terror, so anguished that tears of dread gathered in his eyes and his body immediately shook, and he sat up straight, eyes frantically searching the street for any movement. From across the street, he watched the old arcade building, the lights of the building long dead, parts of the letters missing and hanging from wires. His eyes frantically searched the streets, realizing for the first time that he was very much alone. The only sounds were the pieces of debris and cans scattering, buffeted by the wind, across the pavement and the junkie's cart of bags and blankets thundering and snapping in the cool breeze.

That's when he heard the footsteps.

Something zapped through his body, a long dead instinct that ordered him to run, to flee, from back when man first relied on such instincts to keep him alive. Hale did not heed it. Instead, he turned toward the steps, unable to stop himself, eyes alighting on a lone figure walking steadily down the deserted street. Illuminated by the flickering bulbs of the street lights, Hale observed the long, red hair, which was shocking in the gloom of the dark streets, and he distinguished the long cloak, hiding any body distinction. Despite this somewhat innocent figure, Hale began to shake. His eyes traveled the cloak, noting that it appeared black in the dark of the night, although it appeared even darker in the middle of the cloak, right below the chin area. It almost appeared… wet.

The figure passed the first streetlight on Anderson Street, and that's when the nightmare began.

The first lightbulb burst, scattering glass and snuffing the light like sudden death, the wind rose and howled like hell's beasts. The figure passed the second streetlight, and that burst too, shaking in the wind. Hale's heart thudded in his chest, his breaths came in gasps, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. The figure moved faster, seemed to glide, hair like hellish fire in the darkening street. Hale's mouth opened in a silent scream, unable to move, unable to think.

_Vampire. _Hale knew. _It's a vampire. _

"Hello, Hale." the voice echoed, high pitched and hungry. "I've been waiting a long time for this. It's going to be so nice," the voice breathed across the stretch of distance between them, "to hear your last breaths, and drink your blood."

Hale fled, running in the opposite direction, aware he was going to die. From behind him, he heard lightbulbs break, the wind whipped against his face, so cold it felt like fire, and suddenly, he was flying through the air, before hitting a wall and crumbling against the bricks to the dirty ground below. Before he could regain his breath, a hand clamped around his throat, lifting him, chocking, against the brick wall. His legs flailed before he was back handed again, and he went stumbling backwards into the puddles left behind by the rain. He sputtered, trying to breathe, before he was again grabbed by the throat. He opened weary, watery eyes, clouded by terror and exhaustion, to observe the vampire, eye's red as blood, hair orange like hellish fire, the face of death itself.

A smile, more grotesque than any image, stretched across the face, which was stained red. "Hello, Hale. Did you think you could run from me? How silly. I forget how idiotic humans are, though. How you continue to try and survive when you are the scum of the earth. How fragile. How weak. I was going to make this quick, but now I think I shall have my fun."

Hale gasped back tears, and tried to breathe, hands shakily trying to remove her hand from around his throat. He was suddenly, and again, flying through the hair, before coughing and spluttering, body hurting, on the ground. He looked up to see the vampire, watched her hands curl into claws, and screamed as she moved at him.

He turned away to hide himself from the horror, before another burst of wind buffeted his body, and a figure leaped passed him and the two objects hit, the sound like thunder in the dark of the night. Hale didn't think. He just ran. Through the darkened alleys, stumbling, cutting his hands against rough brick and glass, shakily crying and gasping for breath, for a god, for help, until his legs couldn't carry him anymore. He stumbled against a brick wall, lost, afraid, and alone, before he slid to his butt, shaking and crying.

And that's when he heard the footsteps again. A wail rose in his throat before he clamped his hands over his mouth, body shaking from fear and cold. From the gloom, illuminated by the moon, came the figure of a man. Tall, and impossibly large, his face hidden in shadow.

"Please," Hale gasped. "Please, leave me. I didn't do anything. I didn't. I'm finally going to live. Please."

The figure moved forward, and suddenly, there was a spark; recognition.

"Felix?" Hale whispered into the silence, shaking, hoping.

"Oh, mon amour." The figure whispered back, before he hurriedly moved forward, grasping Hale by his arms and dragging him to his body. "Mon amour."

"Oh, gosh. Felix. Felix, what's happening, how are you here? How –" Hale broke off, tears running down his face. Suddenly hands grasped his face, turning his eyes toward the figure. Hale took in the familiar features of Felix, his red eyes, squared jaw, wet hair plastered against his head, before his hands shakily grasped at his clothes. Just as suddenly, cold lips descended onto Hale's, holding there, before gentling into something Hale had never felt before, and then Hale was wrapped in large arms, against a chest without a heartbeat.

"You must listen to me," Felix whispered harshly in his ear. "You _must_ listen. In a few moments you will meet up with your friend Hermione."

"But how—"

"Shhh. She will find you, and you will go with her. Do _not_ trust her. She is not a friend. She is working for a man named Albus Dumbledore, who you will meet. He will tell you things, things which are true, and things that will be false. But above all, do not trust him, either. He will lead you like a pig to slaughter."

"What! Who!?"

"Shhh. I don't have much time before they find us. Go with them. They will keep you safe. They need you, Hale. They need you more than you need them, but you need them still. They will protect you. There are many things you don't know. There is a world, a magical world, where witches and wizards live, a whole government and society hidden. In this world, there are things happening, terrible things. A monster named Voldemort has arisen, and he is leading an army of people who have abilities that will shock and amaze you, and vampires, that wish to find you and destroy you. Fear him, but do not let that control you. You will need to be strong, mon cher amour. I have been watching, you have been so strong. You need to be strong a little longer. I will help when I can, but I cannot go with you. But I will be there if you need me, oui?"

"I don't understand! What's going on?" Hale cried, shaking harshly against Felix's chest.

"You were a wizard, Hale, a wizard named Harry Potter before you were adopted by Esme and Carlisle. However, there were plans set in place, and a prophecy that cited you as the only one that could destroy Voldemort, a dark wizard who plans a mass genocide. And now, he wants to kill you, too. Victoria is dead. I took care of her. But she has left a mess. She has amassed an army of newborns. I'm afraid they will not follow Voldemort."

Hale looked into Felix's face, mouth open, breathing harshly. "But I don't have any magic, Felix."

"I know." Felix frowned, before smoothing his hand over Hale's hair before cupping his cheek.

"Then why do they want me? I don't have any magic. What can I possibly offer?!"

"I don't know. But be weary of them. They are not what they seem." Felix frowned harder, gazing across Hale's face, before leaning down to kiss Hale again, harshly and with desperation. Hale kissed him back, shaking, cold, but wanting it too much to not kiss back. How long had it been since he had been loved? Felix pulled back, put both hands again on Hale's face and whispered, "They're coming. Go with Hermione. Do not mention me, but if you shall need me, I will come. I will always protect you. I will always be there for you."

Hale opened his mouth to speak, but the alleyway erupted into light, and Felix was suddenly in the middle of a fray against man and beast. Vampires swarmed into the alley, eyes glowing red in the dark, and other figures, with long sticks, appeared from thin air, cloaked in black, and all that was heard was screams, lights, crashes and booms, and then Hale was running, following Felix, hands grasped together, ducking under steaks of light. Bodies went flying, while vampires ran past, panicking, screaming, and on fire. Yells, words screamed in Latin, filled the air, before lips were suddenly pressed against Hale's.

"We will meet again, mon amour." Felix promised harshly. "Je promets."

And then Felix was gone, and suddenly, Hermione was there, bushy hair frazzled about her head, eyes wild, mouth firm, another stick in her hand, which she raised toward him. She spoke a phrase, quietly, fiercely. And then all Hale knew was black, as he descended into darkness.


End file.
